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Quick Information

ADDRESS

Studio Tour Dr, Leavesden, Watford WD25 7LR, UK

RECOMMENDED DURATION

5 hours

Timings

09:30–22:00

VISITORS PER YEAR

2900000

TICKETS

From $119.11

EXPECTED WAIT TIME - STANDARD

30-60 mins (Peak), 0-30 mins (Off Peak)

Plan your visit

Did you know?

The 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts took 86 artists to build. It features 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches, mimicking day and night cycles.

The Potions Classroom features over 500 original prop jars, each containing unique items like baked animal bones and dried herbs, all hand-labelled by the graphics team.

Filming for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone commenced on September 29, 2000, with the Great Hall being among the first sets constructed. Initially designed to accommodate over 400 children.

Why is the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London a must-visit attraction?

The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is more than just a museum; it is a pilgrimage for anyone who has ever dreamed of receiving a Hogwarts letter. Unlike a theme park with rides, this is a behind-the-scenes masterclass in filmmaking. You aren't just looking at replicas; you are walking on the actual York stone floor of the Great Hall and standing inches away from the authentic costumes worn by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.

You can smell the Butterbeer in the Backlot, feel the scale of the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9¾, and witness the mechanical genius behind the animatronic Buckbeak. Whether you are a die-hard "Potterhead" or a cinema enthusiast, the sheer level of detail, from the hand-knitted Weasley Christmas jumpers to the thousands of hand-painted wands in the Ollivanders tribute room, is staggering. It offers a rare, transparent look at the visual effects, creature shop secrets, and architectural blueprints that turned J.K. Rowling’s literary imagination into a tangible cinematic reality.

What to see at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London?

Iconic sets

The tour features the actual sets used for filming. You can explore the Gryffindor Common Room, Dumbledore’s Office, and the Forbidden Forest. The most recent additions include the towering marble pillars of Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse.

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Extraordinary props

Thousands of props are on display, showcasing the Art Department’s creativity. Look for the Goblet of Fire, the intricate Horcruxes, and the hundreds of jars in the Potions classroom. Even the smallest graphic designs, like Chocolate Frog packaging, are original screen-used items.

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Authentic costumes

See the evolution of character style through the costume department's work. Highlights include the Yule Ball finery, Quidditch robes, and the iconic Hogwarts school uniforms. The display also features the specific attire for the "19 Years Later" epilogue scene.

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Special & visual effects

Learn the technical secrets of "movie magic." You can see how green screen technology allowed actors to fly on broomsticks and how physical effects, like the self-stirring cauldrons or the opening door to the Chamber of Secrets, were mechanically engineered.

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Creature effects

Discover the craftsmanship behind the franchise's magical beings. This section reveals how artists used animatronics and prosthetics to create Aragog the spider, the Gringotts Goblins, and the terrifyingly realistic Dobby.

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The Art Department & Hogwarts model

The tour concludes with the breathtaking 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts Castle. Built for the first film, it was used for every aerial shot of the school. Surrounding it are technical drawings, blueprints, and paper models used to design the Wizarding World.

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Discover Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter

Highlights of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Great Hall at Harry Potter™ Warner Bros. Studio, long tables, stone arches, and costumes displayed.
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The Great Hall

Step onto the original York stone floor of the iconic Great Hall, home to authentic costumes and long dining tables.

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Forbidden Forest

Traverse the misty Forbidden Forest, filled with 12-foot-tall trees and a massive animatronic Aragog hidden within the deep shadows.

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Platform 9¾

Board the original Hogwarts Express steam engine and pose with a luggage trolley as it "disappears" through the platform wall.

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Gringotts Wizarding Bank

Marvel at the towering marble pillars and crystal chandeliers of Gringotts, featuring the Lestrange vault and a scorched gallery.

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Hogwarts Castle model

Gaze at the breathtaking 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts, used for every aerial shot throughout the entire film series.

Diagon Alley

Wander past Ollivanders and Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes on the actual cobblestoned street that served as the wizarding shopping hub.

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Professor Sprout's Greenhouse

Step into the herbology classroom and pull a screaming Mandrake from its pot in this interactive fan-favourite set.

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Potions Classroom

Explore the dark, atmospheric classroom filled with 500 hand-labelled jars containing everything from dried herbs to baked animal bones.

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Professor Dumbledore's Office

View the Sword of Gryffindor and the Pensieve inside the Headmaster’s circular office, surrounded by hundreds of hand-bound books.

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Ministry of Magic

Marvel at the massive "Magic is Might" statue and the intricate, hand-painted tiles of the sprawling underground wizarding government hub.

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Brief history of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

The site at Leavesden was originally an aircraft factory and airfield during WWII before being converted into a film studio in 1994. For over a decade, it served as the production home for all eight Harry Potter films. As filming wrapped on The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2010, the production team realised they had an immense archive of preserved sets and props.

Rather than striking the sets, Warner Bros. decided to preserve them permanently. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter officially opened its doors to the public on March 31, 2012. Since then, the tour has undergone massive expansions, including the 2015 addition of the Hogwarts Express and the 2019 opening of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, ensuring the magic remains fresh for returning visitors.

​Detailed history

Who built the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London?

The tour was designed and produced by the Thinkwell Group in close collaboration with the original filmmakers, including Oscar-winning Production Designer Stuart Craig. By involving the actual crew who built the film sets, the tour maintains an unparalleled level of authenticity, ensuring every prop and light fixture is placed exactly as it was during production.

Architecture of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Railway shop at Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London displaying merchandise.

While the exterior consists of massive soundstages (Studio J and K), the "architecture" within is a feat of cinematic engineering. The sets were built using a mix of traditional construction and "movie-fake" materials. For example, the Great Hall’s floor is genuine York stone to withstand the cast's footsteps for over ten years, while the walls are made of plaster and resin aged to look like ancient rock. The architecture of the tour itself is designed to move guests seamlessly from the massive scale of the outdoor Backlot to the intimate, high-ceilinged galleries housing the Art Department's blueprints.

Frequently asked questions about Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Yes! It is the only place in the world where you can walk through the actual original film sets, view thousands of authentic costumes and props, and taste authentic Butterbeer.