Rupert Grint, who played Potter's friend Ron Weasley, and Tom Felton, who played bully Draco Malfoy, were among the actors at Warner Bros.' Leavesden studios in Watford, northwest of London, for the grand opening.

All eight of the movies based on J. K. Rowling's books were shot at Leavesden, which is hoping to keep the magic going with "The Making of Harry Potter" studio tour round the film sets.

Located in 14,000 square metres of hangar space adjoining the studios, the walking tour takes visitors through Hogwarts school and the Diagon Alley high street, offering a glimpse of how the adventures were created on the big screen.

"Every brick of this building is embedded with huge memory. It's really special that we can share this with everyone," Grint told AFP.

Warner Bros. hopes to entice 5,000 people through the door each day, with tickets costing £83 ($130, 100 euros) for a family of four, presenting it as a unique, behind-the-scenes look at one of the world's most popular characters.

The British press have given the new attraction a mixed reaction, noting the steep cost of the tickets and the souvenirs, among them a copy of Professor Dumbledore's robe at nearly £500.

But fans have responded enthusiastically, with tickets for every weekend day for the next three months already sold out.