Hollywood Lands In DC For 'Museum' Premiere

BRETT ZONGKER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Abraham Lincoln rises from his chair at his memorial to keep the peace among warring characters from history who came to life Thursday in the premiere of the film, "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian."

It was the first Hollywood premiere ever for the world's largest museum complex, the Smithsonian Institution, which is also the setting for the sequel to 2006's "Night at the Museum." And one of the most popular of its 19 museums, the National Air and Space Museum, rolled out the red carpet for stars of Hollywood and politics alike.

The film's stars, Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson and Hank Azaria, mixed with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and members of Congress.

Stiller, who starred in both movies, said he was happy the way the sequel turned out.

"The Smithsonian was the springboard for doing the whole thing again," Stiller said.

Stiller's character, security guard Larry Daley, comes to Washington to find his museum friends from the first movie, who had been shipped from New York to a mythical vault under the National Mall.