Carnegie Museum of Natural History

One of the Four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

Witches and wizards from all over Pittsburgh

grand staircase decorated with house banners and floating candles

live music being performed in Dinosaurs in their Time

bar area set up in the Music Hall foyer for After Dark

woodwind section of the philharmonic playing at the After Dark event

musicians playing in the music hall foyer

live barn owl with a handler dressed as a Harry Potter character

Visitors looking up at a dinosaur

Harry Potter costume contest

Witches and wizards from all over Pittsburgh descended on Carnegie Museum of Natural History on July 21 for a 21+ evening of Harry Potter-themed fun at After Dark-Potterfest. More than 2,000 guests made up a diverse crowd that drank butterbeer, met live owls, danced in the Hall of North American Wildlife, and enjoyed live music performances, quidditch demonstrations, lectures, live animals, and more. Guests got into the spirit of the night and came dressed as Moaning Myrtle, Harry Potter, Voldemort, and other characters from the books.

The museum was decked out in Hogwarts house colors and floating candles to recreate the grandeur of the castle, and specimens thought to have magical properties were on display. There was a costume contest, a scavenger hunt, a Potter-themed beard contest, and even double decker bus rides around Oakland at a night of magical museum fun inspired by the most beloved books of our time.

The museum’s next 21+ event will be Haunted Museum: Year of the Monster. Due to popular demand, there will be two dates for our annual Halloween party this year on October 21 and 27. Tickets are on sale at afterdark.carnegiemnh.org.

tiny owl
winner of the costume contest, Moaning Myrtle