Night at the Museum is a 2006 American fantasy comedy movie. Shawn Levy directed the film, which was written by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon. The movie is based on a 1993 children’s book by Croatian cartoonist Milan Trenc. The film features a large cast, with Ben Stiller in the major role. Other actors include Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs, and Robin Williams.
The plot revolves around a divorced father who works as a night watchman at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History. He discovers that the museum displays come to life at night thanks to a mysterious Egyptian artifact known as the tablet of Akhmenrah. 20th Century Fox released the film on December 22, 2006. It grossed $574.5 million worldwide and was the sixth highest-grossing picture of 2006. Critics gave it mixed reviews, though.
Where was “Night at the Museum” Filmed?
American Museum of Natural History, New York City
The majority of the story takes place inside the American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West in Manhattan, New York City. This museum is the world’s largest natural history museum and a well-known landmark in New York City.
External Shots
The external scenes of the museum in the film were shot at the actual American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West and 79th Street in Manhattan. The museum is a well-known New York institution that opened in 1869. It comprises of 26 interconnected buildings that house 45 exhibition halls, a planetarium, and a vast library. The museum houses more than 34 million specimens of animals, plants, fossils, minerals, meteorites, and cultural objects. It also employs a full-time scientific team of over 200 experts and conducts over 100 field missions per year.
Other Movies Filmed Here
Because of its fame, the American Museum of Natural History has appeared in a number of other films. Among these films are the biographical drama “Malcolm X,” the sci-fi comedy “Men in Black II,” and the action comedy “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.”
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
The majority of Night at the Museum’s filming took place outside of the museum. Instead, it was filmed on a custom-built set in a studio in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. The set was created to resemble the interior of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Filming in Burnaby
Burnaby and the larger British Columbia region in Canada are attractive film and television production locations. This is because the area boasts a variety of sceneries and provides tax reductions and incentives to foreign productions. Other well-known films and television shows filmed in Burnaby include Sonic the Hedgehog, Supernatural, and Man of Steel.
Official Trailer
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Night at the Museum
Q: Where was “Night at the Museum” filmed?
A: “Night at the Museum” was filmed in two main locations. The external shots were taken at the American Museum of Natural History in Central Park West, Manhattan, New York City. Most of the interior scenes, however, were filmed on a specially built set in a studio in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. This set was designed to look like the interiors of the American Museum of Natural History.
Q: Why was the majority of “Night at the Museum” not filmed at the actual American Museum of Natural History?
A: Filming an entire action movie inside the real American Museum of Natural History was not practical. The museum is a major public attraction and an archive for many valuable historical, cultural, and scientific artifacts. To avoid disrupting its daily operations and to protect the artifacts, most of the filming was done on a specially constructed set in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Q: When was “Night at the Museum” filmed?
A: “Night at the Museum” was filmed in 2005. The movie was shot over several months to capture all the necessary scenes both at the American Museum of Natural History and on the set in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Q: When was “Night at the Museum” released?
A: “Night at the Museum” was released on December 22, 2006. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox and quickly became a popular film during the holiday season.
Q: How much did “Night at the Museum” earn at the box office?
A: “Night at the Museum” was a big success at the box office. It grossed $574.5 million worldwide, making it the fifth highest-grossing film of 2006. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, it was well-received by audiences and became a popular family film.
