History Film / NightAtTheMuseum

* LegionOfDoom: Kahmunrah forms one to rule the Smithsonian. [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]] and [[Series/SesameStreet Oscar the Grouch]] try to join up, but are turned away for apparently not being evil or scary enough. Vader's having been a TragicVillain who redeems himself before his death is a big strike against him, and Oscar's just... Well, a grouch.

The sequel, subtitled ''Battle of the Smithsonian'', was released in May 2009. Here, as the New York museum is being renovated many exhibits are stored in the Smithsonian. This brings with them a whole other genre of problems, as Ahkmenrah's brother Kahmenrah is animated at the Smithsonian and seeks to use the tablet's powers to open a portal and unleash his army. To stop him and protect the other exhibits Larry teams with Amelia Earhardt (Creator/AmyAdams) to unravel the mystery of the tablet and stop Kahmenrah.

The second sequel, ''Secret of the Tomb'', was released December 19, 2014. The final mystery of the origin of the tablet is revealed as they have to 'revive' its power since the magic is slowly wearing out, stopping in the middle of public showings. The London Museum holds the answers and with it massive hijinks abound. It was also one of the last film roles for Creator/RobinWilliams after his suicide in August 2014, and for Creator/MickeyRooney, who passed away in April of the same year; Rooney's appearance allowed him to become the first (and possibly only) actor to appear in a motion picture in '''10''' consecutive decades.

** There's also the third film, though in this case it also includes BystanderSyndrome. When the exhibits of the London Institute wake up for the first time ever, they proceed to ransack through the rooms with no security guards in sight. And when the lion statues get woken up ''in the middle of the museum's walkways where bystanders are clearly seen walking through it'', no one complains. It's possible that Tilly is the only guard, and she's asleep for most of it; when she wakes up, she's [[LoveAtFirstSight immediately captivated by Laa]].

* BigShutUp: The Moai, although in this case, it's a big "QUIET!"

* BigShutUp: The Moai.

* AdamWesting: Creator/HughJackman (Arthur) and Alice Eve (Guinevere), when Lancelot gatecrashes their ''Theatre/{{Camelot}}'' play. [[spoiler:Doubles as ActorAllusion when Hugh Jackman tries threatening Lancelot as {{Wolverine}}. Understandably, Lance doesn't get it.]]

** The first film explained that the older janitors became {{Badass Grandpa}}s because of dealing with the museum exhibits (and the magic of the tablet). Between films Larry gained those same skills in a younger body.

The first film was released on December 22, 2006, written by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon of Creator/ComedyCentral's ''Series/{{Reno 911}}'' and MTV's ''Series/TheState'', and directed by Shawn Levy. A new novelization of the screenplay by Leslie Goldman was published as a film tie-in. Larry is a struggling inventor who is trying to bond with his son, so to make ends meet he takes a job as the night guard for the Museum of History. He learns from the retiring guards on how to deal with the various exhibits as they come to life because of a magical tablet displayed with Egyptian royalty Ahkmenrah. Recognizing the responsibility he has to keep order, he also has to fend off a nefarious plot to plunder the museum of its magic and riches.

** When Custer is knocked off the motorcycle early on, he tells Larry to keep going with, [[Film/LordOfTheRings "Fly, you fool!"]]

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Larry is barely able to lift Lancelot's sword, mirroring a common belief that knightly swords were so heavy and unwieldy that only a strong, trained user could even lift them. In reality, the average one-handed sword rarely weighed more than two pounds.

* {{Fanservice}}: This being a family movie, there's something for everyone -- Amelia Earhart's really, ''really'' tight pants for the boys (and dads); Ahkmenrah's BareYourMidriff costume for the girls (and moms).

* AdamWesting: Creator/HughJackman (Arthur) and Alice Eve (Guinevere), when Lancelot gatecrashes their ''Theatre/{{Camelot}}'' play. [[spoiler:Doubles as ActorAllusion when Hugh Jackman tries threatening Lancelot as {{Wolverine}}. Understandingly, Lance doesn't get it.]]

* AndroclesLion: The [[EverythingsSquishierWithCephalopods Giant Octopus]]

* PalatePropping: Larry props open one of the snake-demon's mouths with his trusty flashlight.

** In addition to several moments of HoYay with [[HeterosexualLifePartners Jedediah]], Octavius also comments on Lancelot's "hypnotic blue eyes" in the third movie, leaving Jedediah to silently stare at him. It helps that the real life Octavius (AKA Augustus Caesar) was known as "every woman's husband and every man's wife."

** The entire Smithsonian Museum ([[CaptainObvious duh]]) in BOTS

* CaptainObvious: That one Tuskegee airman may as well be named this.

* BadassGrandpa: Night guard Cecil is a badass. Justified in that the tablet also reinvigorated ''him''.

* RealityIsUnrealistic: While the actor who played Pharaoh Akhmenrah (Rami Malek) was born and raised in America, he is actually of Egyptian descent.

The second sequel, ''Secret of the Tomb'', was released December 19, 2014. The final mystery of the origin of the tablet is revealed as they have to 'revive' its power since the magic is slowly wearing out, stopping in the middle of public showings. The London Museum holds the answers and with it massive hijinks abound. It was also one of the last film roles for Creator/RobinWilliams after his suicide in August 2014, and for Mickey Rooney, who passed away in April of the same year; Rooney's appearance allowed him to become the first (and possibly only) actor to appear in a motion picture in '''10''' consecutive decades.

'''This film series contains examples of the following tropes:'''

** Octavius and Jedediah: [[spoiler:"You're going to ''live''!" (breaks hourglass with helmet)]]. Almost everything they do, including piercing a tire, running through grass, facing a squirrel and writing a comment to a youtube video. Often it also counts as a CrowningMomentofFunny.