Night at the Museum (2006)

Night at the Museum is a 2006 fantasy comedy film directed by Shawn Levy and written by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon. It is based on the 1993 children's book by Milan Trenc. The film stars Ben Stiller in the lead role, alongside Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs, and Robin Williams. It tells the story of a divorced father who applies for a job as a night watchman at New York City's American Museum of Natural History and subsequently discovers that the exhibits come to life at night, animated by a magical Egyptian artifact.

Night at the Museum premiered in New York City on December 17, 2006, and was released in the United States on December 22 by 20th Century Fox. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $574.5 million, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 2006. Two live-action sequels were released: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian in 2009, and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb in 2014. An animated spin off titled, Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again, was released in 2022 on Disney+.