Overview
See production notesAspiring New York City inventor Larry Daley bounces between jobs and apartments. Although sympathetic, his ex-wife Erica believes he is a bad example to their ten-year-old Nick, who considers quitting ice hockey and plans to work in the finance sector like Erica's fiancé Don. Larry fears Nick admires Don over him, especially as Don gets invited to his school's Career Day. Larry interviews at the Museum of Natural History with the almost retired night security guard Cecil Fredericks. As the museum is hemorraging money, Cecil and his colleagues Reginald and Gus are being replaced with one guard, so Larry gets hired despite his resume. Cecil gives him a manual, warning him he "not let anything in... or out." On his first night, Larry falls asleep. Waking, he discovers the T-rex skeleton is missing. After finding the T-rex alive and being chased by him, he calls Cecil, who suggests using the manual. Larry tames him by throwing a bone, then names him "Rexy". After sunset, all exhibits come alive, including: Dexter, a mischievous stuffed capuchin monkey who destroys Cecil’s instructions and takes Larry's keys; rival miniature civilizations depicting the American Frontier, Ancient Rome, and Ancient Maya; a chewing gum-loving Easter Island Moai who calls Larry "Dum-Dum"; American Civil War soldier mannequins; and wax models of Attila the Hun and his men, pyromaniacal Neanderthals, and Sacagawea. A horse-mounted Theodore Roosevelt rescues Larry from feuding miniature leaders Jedediah and Octavius. He explains that ever since the 1952 arrival of Egyptian Pharaoh Ahkmenrah’s Golden Tablet, the exhibits come alive each night. All outside at sunrise disintegrate. As they restore order, Larry sees Theodore loves Sacagawea but is too shy to tell her. The retirees check on Larry, who almost quits, but Nick and Don's congratulatory visit convinces him to stay. Cecil suggests he read up on history. Larry controls the exhibits better, but must extinguish a fire the Neanderthals start. Meanwhile, Dexter steals his keys again, unlocking a window, so a Neanderthal escapes onto the street, seeing a group of indigents with a fire pit, and disintegrates in the sun. Nick witnesses museum director Dr. McPhee firing Larry over the damaged Neanderthal exhibit. Eventually, Larry is given another chance to prove himself and clears up the misunderstanding with Nick. Rebecca Hutman, a museum guide and historian writing her dissertation on Sacagawea, believes Larry is mocking her when he reveals the museum's nighttime secret. Larry wants Nick to see the T-Rex come alive, but nothing happens. The tablet has been deactivated by the retirees who want to steal it with other valuables to fund their retirement and frame Larry. They want the tablet for its vitality restoring powers. Having regained and reactivated the tablet, Larry and Nick are chased through the museum, until Cecil snatches it, locking them in the Egyptian room. Larry releases Ahkmenrah's mummy from his sarcophagus. The pharaoh reveals himself as a fully living human, and helps them escape. Larry convinces the squabbling exhibits to help catch the guards and recover the tablet. Gus and Reginald are captured, while Cecil escapes via Pony Express stagecoach. Theodore pushes Sacagawea out of Cecil's path and is sliced in half but survives, being "made of wax." Larry pursues Cecil into Central Park, regaining the tablet. Theodore bonds with Sacagawea as she repairs him. Rebecca sees the exhibits returning to the museum and realizes Larry was being truthful; he later introduces her to Sacagawea. Theodore and Nick are proud of Larry's work. Larry laments he could not save everyone, believing that Jedediah and Octavius were both killed, so is surprised upon their return. The next day, McPhee attempts to fire Larry after news reports about the night's strange events, such as the Neanderthals leaving cave paintings in the museum's subway station and Rexy's dinosaur tracks in Central Park, but the publicity boosts museum attendance. Larry is rehired, goes to Nick's next school career day, and celebrates that night with a party, with Nick, Rebecca and the exhibits. During the credits, it is revealed that the former guards, rather than being turned in to the police by Larry, must work as museum janitors as punishment for their actions, so they clean up after the party.
Plot from Night at the MuseumCC BY-SA 4.0
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Followed by: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Followed by: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Quotes
See all quotesLarry Daley: Ah — Teddy Roosevelt. Rebecca: Yes. A great visionary. Larry Daley: Yes, definitely. He was our 4th president, right? Rebecca: 26th. Larry Daley: 26th. Dr. McPhee: Please don't touch the exhibits! I mean, riffraff. Mrs. Hutman, I cannot tolerate this type of chaos. I mean, this is a museum, not a... Do you know what museum means? It doesn't mean, "Ooh, Daddy, it's a big tyrannosaurus thing. Can I touch its leg?" No! It... Work it out, please. Rebecca: Will do, sir. Dr. McPhee: Thank you. Rebecca: Dr. McPhee, our museum director. Larry Daley: Hmm, seems like a fun guy. Dr. McPhee: Control your young, please! Can we? Oh!
Night at the Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0
Debbie: Mr. Daley, I can honestly say, in 43 years at this agency, I've never seen a resume quite like yours. Larry: Ah, all right! Debbie: That wasn't a compliment. It says here you were the CEO of Snaptime Industries. Care to elaborate on that? Larry: Sure. Well, that was the umbrella corporation for my invention, the Snapper. You know, snap, lights come on. Snap, they come off. Debbie: Uh, didn't they already make that? Larry: No, no. That's the Clapper, which, obviously, stole a bit of our thunder. Personally, I don't really see what the big difference is. I mean... You know, whatever. But, um, apparently, there is a significant portion of the population that has trouble actually snapping. Debbie: Clapping's easier. Larry: Debatable. Debbie: I can't help you. Larry: Uh, Debbie? Can I call you Debbie? Cause, uh, I felt a connection when I entered this office. And I don't know. I feel like you did too. Debbie: I didn't feel a connection. Larry: Look, I need a job tomorrow, okay? If I
Night at the Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cecil: Larry. Your keys, your torch. Larry Daley: Right. Cecil: You're gonna wanna strap those to your belt. Now, it can get a little spooky around here at night, so you might wanna put a few lights on. All right, flashlight, keys. What am I for...? Oh. The instruction manual. Gus: Instructions. You start with one, two, three... Larry Daley: Four? Gus: Are you crackin' wise? I oughta punch you in the nose, hopscotch. Reginald: Leave him alone, Gus. You got it covered, right, Larry? Larry Daley: Yeah, yeah, I got it. Gus: You better get it! Cecil: Gus. Larry, do them in order, do them all and do them quick. And the most important thing of all to remember: don't let anything in or out. Larry Daley: Out? Cecil: Good luck, son. Larry Daley: 'Night, Gus. Gus: Young buck, crackin' wise. Cecil: Moving on.
Night at the Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cecil: [with creepy voice] Hello? [laughs] I'm just kidding. Larry: Hi, I'm, uh, I'm Larry Daley. Are you Mr. Fredericks? [laughs] Cecil: Mr. Fredericks was my father. I am Cecil. Good to meet you, Larry. Nice, firm handshake. I like that. Tells a lot about a man. Come on in. Let's talk turkey here. The museum is losing money, hand over fist. I guess kids today don't care about wax figures or stuffed animals. So they're downsizing, which is code for "firing" myself and the other two night guards. They want to replace us with one new guard. Larry: Oh, sorry. Cecil: Well, what are you gonna do? I'd like you to meet my, uh, two colleagues here. Reginald? Gus? Gus: [gasps] Where is he? I'll beat him with my fist! [grunting] Cecil: Gus, this is Larry Daley, the kid who wants to be the new night guard. Larry: Whoa. Uh, night guard? No, no. The lady at the agency said this was a museum position. Reginald: Most important position in the museum, Larry. Gus: He looks like a weirdy. Cecil: [chuck
Night at the Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0
Larry Daley: Hey, blondie. Jedediah: Name's Jedediah. Larry Daley: All right, Jedediah, stop the train, please! Jedediah: Big no can do, crackerjack. Larry Daley: What's going on here, huh? Jedediah: Somebody's gotta pay. Larry Daley: Pay for what? Jedediah: I don't know! Just pay! Now stop whining and just take it like a man! Larry Daley: Seriously. Stop the train. Jedediah: All right, stop the train. Larry Daley: Thank you. Jedediah: [shouts] NOW FULL SPEED AHEAD AND RAM HIM! SPLIT HIS HEAD LIKE A WATERMELON! Larry Daley: [the miniature train hits his face] Ooh! Ow! Jedediah: For cryin' out loud! Larry Daley: All right, that's enough. [starts to free himself]
Night at the Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0
Larry Daley: [sees the miniature knights] Oh, my... Octavius: Prepare the catapults. Jedediah: Whoa, Octavius, hold on! This ain't your fight! This here giant's on our land! Larry Daley: Hey, hey, little guy. Jed. Yeah. Sorry. Look, I just... I'm not a giant, okay? I'm just like an average size. Jedediah: Don't talk down to me. Larry Daley: [to the miniature knights] I'm not a giant, guys. All right? You guys are really little. Octavius: We may be small. But our hearts are large... metaphorically speaking. Larry Daley: Don't take that the wrong way. I'm just saying you're miniatures. Octavius: Silence! The Roman Empire knows no boundaries. Jedediah: Don't you do it, son. Larry Daley: Do what? Jedediah: Octavius! Larry Daley: Don't do what? Octavius: UNLEASH HELL!!! Jedediah: D'oh! Knight: FIRE! Teddy Roosevelt: [reaches his hand] Climb aboard, boy. Take the hand, son. [Larry climbs on Teddy's horse] On board. Jedediah: [calling out to Larry] THAT'S RIGHT, YOU BETTER RUN, BOY! YOU HEAR
Night at the Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0
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