By Kalin Krohe, Panhandle Post
The Knight Museum and Sandhills Center in Alliance has seen an uptick in their audience recently. The museum has been transformed into "Diagon Alley" from the Harry Potter series of books and movies.
Over the last week there was a 6th grade class from Big Springs and a family that drove 14 hours from Gainesville, Texas just to witness the display. There was also people that traveled from Rapid City and Denver.
"This is a big two weeks for the Knight Museum," said Becci Thomas, Museum Director. "Kim Galyen came to us a couple months ago and wondered if we would be interested in a Harry Potter exhibit. We have turned the entire museum into a Harry Potter wonderland. We're calling it 'Adventures in Diagon Alley'...literally floor to ceiling. If you've been to the museum, you realize our floor to ceiling is about 20 foot tall. We have two story buildings in there...at least a dozen of them. Don't forget the bank where the 12 foot dragon lives. It's really interesting. You start in the foyer and you go through the entire gallery...and through the ramp going into the theatre, where you end up in Hogwarts. "
Kim and Max Galyen's family and friends crafted most of the Harry Potter shops and props from scratch.
"Diagon Alley is where all the witches and wizards go to do their shopping in the Harry Potter world," said Kim Galyen. "Anybody that knows me, knows when I get into a project it's go big or go home. Last year I did a church party and made it the Harry Potter theme. We built eight buildings. They weren't two story buildings like the ones we made this year because the ceiling was lower at church...but then I thought what am I going to do with all these buildings. That's when I went to the museum and they said they're wonderful. We thought, look at these ceilings, let's make it two story. I think that made the world of difference. The feeling we wanted is when you walk in, you're in Diagon Alley like in the movie."
Galyen said a lot of local businesses helped with supplies when she and her family were creating the display.
"Bloedorn Lumber has helped us this year with supplies," Galyen added. "The bean elevator...that's where we get our cardboard. You can't go anywhere and not find a Harry Potter fan."
Becci Thomas said she's awestruck at how many people have come to see the Harry Potter display in the last week.
"I think we've had been between 3,500 and 4,000 people," said Thomas. "This is the only display like this between here and Universal Studios. In this whole COVID weird world right now, so many people haven't been able to do fundraisers and it's really hurting some of the local charities. We took this time to help them a little bit since they can't do stuff and we could. We used this chance to go ahead and have a free will donation. I'm blown away. I think we're looking at around $3,000 and we still have this week to go. We also have kind of aligned with the Punishers and Guardian bells, which is the local motorcycle club. They are very community minded. They've helped us do the whole donation thing and they're going to help deliver them. "
All proceeds from donations made by visitors to the Harry Potter display will be divided among the Food Pantry, Community Table, Diaper Depot and CAPstone Child Advocacy Center.
Thomas said anyone coming to enjoy the display will have to wear a face mask in light of the continuing pandemic.
"We can social distance in here because it's so large and people aren't by each other for more than a minute at a time," Thomas added. "Right now, people aren't going to places a whole lot so the fact that we could provide them with a place to go and something entertaining to do that they really couldn't see anywhere else, short of Disneyland, I think that's pretty cool."
Thomas said she also had no idea how many adults were Harry Potter fans.
"I wish we would have started counting when we started...how many kids and adults have come in Harry Potter costumes," said Thomas. "We have had enough kids through here that we could have completely filled Hogwarts. I'm amazed with the adults. We've provided them with a lot of photo opportunities in here that you could take family photos."
"Harry Potter Adventures in Diagon Alley" at the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center will continue through Nov. 7. This week the museum is open until 5 p.m.
