The high-profile Harry Potter exhibition may have come and gone from The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, but magic remains in its cavernous space as, hot on the heels of Harry, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition arrives tomorrow (May 12) and runs through until August 26.
Produced by Global Experiences Inc (GES) in partnership with Walt Disney and Walden Media, this state-of-the-art entertainment and educational exhibition is based on the famous CS Lewis seven-book chronicles — it is said that 100 million copies have been sold in more than 47 languages — and the blockbuster film series.
Signing in for the exhibition launch, drifts of "snow" gently fell upon attendees, preparing them for the journey to a winter-locked Narnia.
And yes, of course, as anyone who has read the books would expect, the portal to this world is through the famous wardrobe, replete with furs coats and jackets to brush past as one moves from our "normal" world to one where a cruel white witch rules, animals can speak and children have it in them to become Kings and Queens.
This is, however, no mere collection of items used in the film series. Lewis, it would appear, was something of a futurist, integrating into his Narnia chronicles the notions of humanity’s affect upon the environment and, in particular, the possibility of human-induced climate change.
GES have embraced this foresight and produced the exhibition to incorporate the notion of fantasy as a means of investigating science and the environment, and the result is a three-dimensional interactive experience that embraces the senses.
Whether it’s placing your hand upon the ice-cold surface of the frozen waterfall or setting off a real catapult, many children and adults alike will find The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition a wonderful way to experience Aslan’s Country.
Exhibits from the Narnia exhibition at Sydney's Powerhouse