Name: Night at the Museum (2006 PG)
Telephone: Choose one of the historic characters that comes to life in the film. Judging by their portrayal in the film, and what you already know about them, write down key facts about their life. Research further to see how accurate you were. If you could add one historic person to the film, who would it be, and why?
Price range: $$

Content Area

History

Rating

Length

1h 48min

Movie Story Line

Ben Stiller leads an all-star cast including Robin Williams and Dick Van Dyke in this hilarious blockbuster hit! When good-hearted dreamer Larry Daley (Stiller) is hired as night watchman at the Museum of Natural History, he soon discovers that an ancient curse brings all the exhibits to life after the sun sets.

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Teaching Idea #1

Choose one of the historic characters that comes to life in the film. Judging by their portrayal in the film, and what you already know about them, write down key facts about their life. Research further to see how accurate you were. If you could add one historic person to the film, who would it be, and why?

Teaching Idea #2

What is Teddy Roosevelt's and his family's connections with the New York Museum of Natural History? Why did that museum request to remove his statue from the museum's entrance in June of 2020? Do you believe historic figures should be judged by the values of the times in which they lived, those of modern times, or something else entirely?

Teaching Idea #3

Milan Trenc wrote the children's book of the same name that this movie is based on. When it was published in 1993 it was banned from the Museum of Natural History bookstore. Guess at why it was banned and then research to see if you were right. Why do you think the museum cooperated with the movie when they hadn't been accepting of the original version?