Full disclosure: I’m a fairly manic Harry Potter fan. You know, the buy-the-book-at-midnight, see-every-movie-on-opening-day kind. I would carry Deathly Hallows on an airplane in its non-Kindle, 800+ page form. Slightly masochistic. Which is why I’m feeling pretty pleased that Harry Potter: The Exhibition will make its final stop—and West Coast debut—at Pacific Science Center on October 23. The exhibit boasts more than 200 costumes and props from the film series, like Harry’s original wand, the Marauder’s Map, Gryffindor uniforms, Yule Ball costumes from Goblet of Fire, Albus Dumbledore exhumed (kidding, kidding). And all props are nestled in their appropriate location: a re-created Gryffindor common room, Hagrid’s hut, the Great Hall (all on a smaller scale, of course).

Bonus: The exhibit is interactive. I was holding out hope that the new Harry Potter Wizarding World in Orlando would simulate Quidditch, but I’m going to settle for tossing a Quaffle ball at Pac Sci. I have zero interest making my own Mandrake, though—nasty business.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition has only been to Chicago, Boston, and Toronto, so it’s a bit of a coup that it’s coming here. And besides, there was a ""FILM STAR FROM BLOCKBUSTER MAJOR MOTION PICTURES" on hand yesterday for the announcement. (Seriously, if you got an email with that as the subject line, what would you think? My coworker thought it was an Onion article.) According to Neville Longbottom (actor Matthew Lewis), the exhibit will be in town through January 30, 2011, and tickets go on sale Saturday, August 14, at pacsci.org or by calling 206-443-2001.

UPDATED 10/21/10. The first part (yes, it’s two parts) of the final Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, opens in IMAX on November 19. But you can warm up with four of the previous Potter films on IMAX at Pac Sci, starting with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on October 22. It’s Pottermania! For film times, click here.