About Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is a 2009 comedy film, which is a sequel to the successful Night at the Museum. The movie follows Larry Daley (played by Ben Stiller), a former night guard at the Museum of Natural History, who finds himself lured back into his old job when the exhibits that come to life after dark are sent to the Smithsonian archives for storage. Larry must battle with the villainous pharaoh Kahmunrah (portrayed by Hank Azaria), to stop him from taking over the world. The film adeptly combines fun, action and comedy to create an entertaining family film that is enjoyable for all ages.

Making / Production

The sequel to Night at the Museum took the creative team to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., the largest museum and research complex in the world. The production team faced the challenge of recreating the vast layouts and exhibits with remarkable detail. Scenes were filmed on location in Washington D.C as well as in British Columbia, Canada.

Actors

• Ben Stiller as Larry Daley: Larry is the night guard at the museum, a role in which Stiller uses his comedic talent to create an affable and resourceful character. His performance serves as the heart of the movie, connecting the different fantastical elements and bringing humor to the chaos.
• Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart: Adams portrayed the legendary figure with charm and wit. Her Amelia is spunky and enthusiastic, adding a spark to the movie.
• Hank Azaria as Kahmunrah: Azaria plays the villainous pharaoh with a mix of menace and eccentricity, his performance adds a lot of laughs even while his character threatens world domination.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was shot in several landmarks in Washington D.C. including the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
• Amy Adams did a significant amount of research to play aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, including reading her autobiographies to better understand her character.

Quotes

• "Let's do this people! And... animals! And... exhibit things!" - Larry Daley
• "Teddy Roosevelt: Larry, we have a saying in this country. The President is the head of the country, but the people are the heart. And I'm the legs!"

Music, Soundtrack

• "Night at the Museum" Main Titles
• "Flight of the Fantasy"
• "The Tablet"