“Night at the Museum 4” (2025) brings the beloved franchise back to life with a fresh wave of wonder, comedy, and heartfelt adventure. The story begins several years after the events of the previous film, with the Museum of Natural History preparing for a massive global exhibit exchange. Larry Daley, who has settled into a quieter life away from nightly chaos, is unexpectedly pulled back into the magical world he once protected when strange disturbances begin occurring across several museums worldwide. The magic tablet, believed to be stable, is showing signs of unpredictable behavior, threatening to awaken exhibits in ways no one can control.
Larry’s return is met with equal parts joy and panic from the museum’s animated residents. Teddy Roosevelt, Sacagawea, Jedediah, Octavius, and the mischievous monkey Dexter welcome him back like a long-lost guardian. However, these reunions quickly give way to confusion when certain exhibits begin switching personalities, languages, or even physical features due to the tablet’s weakening magic. The museum erupts into hilarious chaos, from prehistoric creatures reciting Shakespeare to wax presidents suddenly turning into famous musicians. Larry realizes this is not just a malfunction—it’s a warning.
To solve the mystery, the museum brings in a young, ambitious historian named Ella Carmichael, who insists the tablet’s origins go deeper than anyone ever imagined. With Larry acting as her reluctant mentor, the pair journey to museums in London, Cairo, and Tokyo, each stop revealing new clues and new living exhibits with unique myths tied to the tablet’s history. Their travels introduce vibrant new characters, including a samurai warrior who takes everything literally, and an ancient Egyptian astronomer who believes the sky is falling every ten minutes.
Meanwhile, back in New York, the familiar crew attempts to keep the chaos under control, leading to a series of comedic misadventures. Jedediah and Octavius accidentally activate a Viking longship, causing it to sail through multiple galleries, while Dexter forms an alliance with a robotic toy dog who thinks he’s on a secret military mission. These moments provide the film with its classic blend of slapstick humor and heartfelt camaraderie.
As Larry and Ella uncover the truth, they learn that the tablet was never meant to power museums indefinitely. Its magic requires renewal through a rare celestial event that is fast approaching. The final act brings all the exhibits together for an epic, globe-spanning effort to restore the balance before the magic disappears forever.
“Night at the Museum 4” delivers a nostalgic yet refreshing adventure, reminding audiences of the power of curiosity, friendship, and the timeless joy of discovering the stories that history holds—especially when they come to life after dark.
