Liberty Hall brings the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Kean
By Zoe Strozewski | Published by December 17, 2019
For those who are still waiting to receive their letter from Hogwarts in the mail, Kean students now have the opportunity to experience the world of Harry Potter right on Kean’s campus.
Liberty Hall Museum has transformed some of its rooms into scenes straight from the Harry Potter series, and until the end of December, they will be providing tours of the exhibit.
Liberty Hall Museum will be holding tour of its Harry Potter exhibit until the end of December.
Courtesy of Liberty Hall Website
Liberty Hall is a building on Kean’s campus with a long and dense history. It has stood through the Revolutionary War and houses a collection of antique furniture and artifacts. It was also home to William Livingston, New Jersey’s first elected governor and a signer of the Constitution, and the Kean family, after which this university is named, according to the Kean website.
According to Hannah Gaston, the education program coordinator at Liberty Hall, the museum attempts a different exhibit every year around the holidays. They settled on this year’s Harry Potter theme when a museum visitor pointed out some of the house’s similarities to the look and feel of the movie series.
Attendees will be able to visit Liberty Hall’s version of the Gryffindor Common Room.
Courtesy of Kean University Instagram
On the tours, attendees will be able to be sorted into one of the Hogwarts houses and visit various places shown in the books and movies, such as the Great Hall, Gryffindor Common Room and Platform 9 ¾. Gaston said that while they did have to purchase some specific items, much of what was used to decorate Liberty Hall was actually already owned by the museum.
“Because we are a historic house, we actually have a huge collection of artifacts,” Gaston said. “We repurposed and set them up in a way that represents Harry’s life. We have given them a new life and meaning.”
According to Gaston, the reaction to the exhibit has been extremely positive so far.
“So far, it’s been wonderful,” Gaston said. “We’ve had several Kean students come and some people have come specifically seeking the exhibit.”
While admission for Kean students is free, tickets are needed for anyone who visits the exhibit. Tours will continue until Dec. 28.
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