Night at the Museum: a New York museum comes to life!
When night falls, the American Museum of Natural History in New York is far from the peaceful place you'd expect. This is what Ben Stiller, newly promoted to museum guard, is about to discover…
The Story of Night at the Museum
- Night at the Museum is a family comedy released in 2006. The film was directed by Canadian filmmaker Shawn Levy. Its success led to two sequels, released in 2009 and 2014. That said, neither sequel quite captures the magic of the original. Nothing beats the surprise and wonder of that first film.
- The story follows Larry Daley, played by Ben Stiller. This divorced father needs a job to reassure his ex-wife and keep seeing his son. A job counselor then offers him work as a night guard at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. It sounds like an easy gig—so easy that within a few hours, Larry falls fast asleep in his chair.
- Not for long. In the middle of the night, the dinosaur skeleton in the main hall comes to life. Suddenly the entire museum springs into action: stuffed lions leap from their displays, monkeys cause chaos, Attila and his warriors launch an attack, and Neanderthals desperately try to make fire. Elsewhere, General Theodore Roosevelt, played by Robin Williams, finds himself charmed by the Native American guide Sacagawea. It’s going to be a long night for Larry.
New York in Night at the Museum
- Most of the action takes place in the American Museum of Natural History. When you visit, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped right into the film. It starts the moment you enter the main hall with its massive dinosaur skeleton. You’ll find yourself looking at the taxidermied animals—especially the lions and monkeys—wondering if one might suddenly move.
- You’ll probably want to chew gum when you pass the proud Easter Island moai. In the film, the stone statue enjoys blowing “Gum-Gum” bubbles.
- Beyond the museum, Central Park serves as the backdrop for several scenes. The famous Bow Bridge appears early in the film when Larry walks through the park with his son.
- At the very beginning, you’ll also see a shot of the Brooklyn Bridge, with the silhouette of the old firehouse on Old Fulton Street. The scene is brief, just enough to establish that the story takes place in Brooklyn, where Larry lives.
Trailer for Night at the Museum
Movie Poster
What Did You Think of This Film?
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