Join our. Harry Potter. S c a v e n g e r Hu n t. Where Magic meets Science! 2007 President and Fellows of Harvard College

Transcription

1 Join our Harry Potter S c a v e n g e r Hu n t Dig Deeper Look Closer Where Magic meets Science!

2 Wolfsbane Wolfsbane Aconitum Monkshood or Wolfsbane has toxic roots once believed to have magical properties that could repel, kill, or subdue the mythological werewolf. Modern scientists have discovered that many plants have real medicinal benefits. Can you find other plants in this gallery that might be used to make either helpful medicines or imaginary potions? Norwegian Ridgeback Pterosaur Rhamphorynchus phyllurus Dragons are mythological. But the bones of fossil reptiles like this Pterosaur and many dinosaurs may have helped people to imagine them. Explore this gallery for more dragon-like wings, claws, teeth, horns and tails. What would your imaginary dragon look like?

3 Buckbeak Grant s Zebra Equus burchelli Yes, a zebra IS a horse, one of the three animals that make up the hippogriff. The other two are an eagle and a lion. See if you can find these animals elsewhere in the museum. Harry s Patronus Red Deer Cervus elaphus Weighing in at over 400 pounds, the male Red Deer, called a stag, is the largest mammal in Great Britain. The Red Deer is a great patronus for Harry. Hermione s patronus is in this gallery too. Can you find it?

4 Sorcerer s Stone Rhodochrosite You may think that this rose-red mineral, called Rhodochrosite, is the perfect match for the Sorcerer s Stone. But there are many other red minerals in this gallery, some with unusual properties. Although highly toxic, the Cinnabar seen in Case 5 has been used in traditional Chinese medicine. Parselmouth Spectacled Cobra Naja naja Cobras use their potent venom to subdue prey and protect themselves from predators. Look at the cobra s scientific name Naja. Do you think J. K. Rowling was inspired by this word when she named Voldemort s snake Nagini?

5 Aragog Goliath Tarantula Theraphosa blondi Although much smaller than the mythological Aragog, the Goliath Tarantula is one of the largest spiders in the world. It lives in underground burrows deep in the South American rainforest. Harry s Wand American Holly Ilex opaca This plant is an American version of the holly. Harry s wand was probably made from the European Holly, which was a plant sacred to ancient Celtic and Roman cultures. Its red berries are poisonous to people but make excellent food for birds during the winter.

6 Scabbers Norway Rat Rattus norvegicus Scabbers is a Norway rat. Wild Norway rats are pests in large cities but domesticated rats can make excellent pets. Hedwig Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus Harry Potter s messenger owl, Hedwig, is a Snowy Owl. Look in all the galleries and see how many different owl species you can find. Which one could be Ron Weasley s tiny owl, Pigwidgeon?

7 Viktor Krum Sharks By transfiguring himself into a shark, Viktor Krum assumed the form of one of the oldest and most successful fishes on the planet. Sharks have thrived in the world s oceans for 400 million years. Unlike the bony fishes, sharks have skeletons made of cartilage which is lighter and more flexible than bone. Harry s Patronus Red Deer Cervus elaphus Weighing in at over 400 pounds, the male Red Deer, called a stag, is the largest mammal in Great Britain. The Red Deer is a great patronus for Harry. Hermione s patronus is in this gallery too. Can you find it?

8 Harry Potter S c a v e n g e r Hu n t Look Closer! Dig Deeper Look around the museum to find these magical creatures and objects from the Harry Potter books. Dig deeper to learn more about the real science behind them. Use the HMNH Marauder s Map on the back to help you find your way. Sorcerer s Stone In the first Harry Potter Book, Harry stops Voldemort from stealing the Sorcerer s Stone, a red crystal with the power to change any metal into gold and create an elixir of eternal life. Find your own Sorcerer s Stone in the Hall of Minerals. Wolfsbane In Snape s potion class, Hogwarts student learn that Wolfsbane can be used to make a powerful potion. Which Hogwarts professor drank a potion of Wolfsbane? Why? Look for Wolfsbane in the Glass Flowers Gallery under its other name, Monkshood. Harry s Wand Harry Potter s magical wand was made from the wood of the holly. Look for this unique plant in the Glass Flowers Gallery. Harry s wand also had another special attribute. What was it? Aragog Aragog, the giant talking spider, lived deep in the Forbidden Forest. What other mythological creatures share this magical domain with Aragog? Look for the living arachnid relatives of Aragog in the exhibition Arthropods: Creatures that Rule. Norwegian Ridgeback In The Sorcerer s Stone, Hagrid hatched a baby Norwegian Ridgeback dragon he named Norbert. Go to Romer Hall of Vertebrate Paleontology to find a real animal that looks like baby Norbert. Buckbeak Buckbeak is a mythological creature called a hippogriff. According to legend, the hippogriff contains characteristics of three real animals. One of those is a horse. Find a type of horse in the African Hall. Harry s Patronus What kind of powerful creature is Harry s patronus? Find him in the Holarctic Hall. If you could pick any animal in the museum for your patronus, what would it be?

9 Scabbers Can you find a creature like Ron s pal Scabbers? Look for Scabbers with the other rodents in the Hall of Mammals. Scabbers may look like rat but he is really a man is disguise. Who? Hedwig Students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry use owls to send and receive messages. Look for Harry s owl, Hedwig, on the Bird Balcony above the Hall of Mammals. Parselmouth Harry, like Lord Voldemort, is a parselmouth and can speak in snake language. Look in Indo-Asian Hall for the snake that Harry spoke to during his duel with Draco Malfoy in The Chamber of Secrets. Viktor Krum During the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Viktor Krum partially transfigured himself into a shark to rescue Hermione from the lake. There are several sharks in the Hall of Fishes. Which one do you think looks most like Krum s shark? to Bird Balcony Mammals HMNH Marauder s Map Holarctic Indo- Asia Fishes Africa Arthropods Glass Flowers Minerals Vertebrate Paleontology