User:Hoverfish/Notebook

Larry Daley is a single-dad living in Brooklyn, New York. His numerous schemes, such as the "snapper" (a ripoff of the The Clapper) have failed miserably, leaving him without a reliable "fall back" job, and he faces eviction from his apartment lest he finds legitimate work. His son Nicky is disillusioned by his father's shortcomings, and Larry's ex-wife does not see him as a positive role-model for their son.

He accepts a job at local natural history museum, modeled after the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, and meets with the existing, aged guards that he will replace: Cecil, Gus, and Reginald. It is at this time that Larry encounters the eccentric curator Mr. McPhee and Larry's future love interest, Rebecca.

The first night of his job, Larry discovers that history certainly comes alive in the museum. It is on this first night that several ongoing plot lines are established. For instance:

• A skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus comes to life wanting to play a game of fetch.
• A monkey from the African animals exibit steals Larry's keys when it comes to locking up the lions there.
• Attila the Hun and his huns attack Larry while a wooly mammoth runs loose in the halls at the same time.
• American Civil War mannequins constantly fight with each other.
• Roman soldier figurines and American Cowboys living in the Wild West attack the confused nightguard, referring to him as a giant (or "Gigantor").

Other notable experiences are meeting the benevolent wax figure of Theodore Roosevelt and seeing the historic heroine Sacagawea.

During that second night he goes throughout the museum using techniques to keep the exhibits under control. Eventually, his perfect plan goes awry. The museum erupts into chaos when the monkey steals the keys, Atilla the Hun sees a flaw in Larry's magic tricks, and the cavemen steal Larry's lighter and burn down their exhibit which Larry extinguishes. One of the cavemen wax figures sneaks outside, being turned into dust when the sun hits him. Mr. McPhee fires him that morning, in the presence of Nicky. Larry convinces McPhee to give him one more chance.

His third night brings new troubles when he brings his son Nicky. Cecil, Gus and Reginald sneak into the museum and steal the Tablet of Akmenrah. Larry must unite all the character models and animals of the museum for the common goal of rescuing the tablet, or they will all be inanimate forever. He first revives the mummy of Akmenrah, who aides him in his quest. He succeeds in uniting the museum, and the whole breadth of animals and models work together. During this time, Teddy also meets up with Sacagawea, whom he secretly loves. Larry also wins Rebecca as (presumably) his new lover.

Cecil and his gang subdued, but Mr. McPhee is displeased with Larry's maintenance of the museum. He once again fires Larry, but the words are barely out of his mouth before he views the museum's opening; the activities of the creatures all over New York the night before had attracted the attention of the media and the public. The museum, which was mostly empty and unvisited before, has been overrun by legions of visitors, finally excited about the history it contains.

The exhibits celebrate later that night. In exchange for not turning them in, Larry has Cecil, Gus, and Reginald clean up the museum every morning.