Alibi of work divorced dad Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) wangles himself a job as night watchman at New York's famed History of Unpremeditated Museum, where he is replacing the three esteemed timers (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs) who clothed shared the work, victims of downsizing. What they don't tell him is that the exhibits come to vitality each vespers all the time, and why. Larry's nightmare at the museum is salvaged by the Teddy Roosevelt figure (Robin Williams), with whose encouragement he finds a begun to take back control and to show his son Nick (Jake Cherry) his very overpower side.