The movie, Night at the Museum, introduced millions of kids to the imaginative effects of walking through a museum. In this case, the museum isn't one of those Smithsonian deals in Washington, but the very same museum hosted Ben Stiller battling Genghis Khan and playing fetch with dinosaurs. Truly, it can be said that no visit to New York City with kids is complete without stopping by the American Museum of Natural History.

This iconic piece of American was founded in 1869, and one of those founders was none other than the man who would give birth to President Theodore Roosevelt. You can see why he was the only president who came to life in the movie. The museum always has a revolving list of new exhibits. You never know what you may find when you walk into that tremendous lobby, but it is the permanent exhibits that really draw the attention of kids. Any kid who has watched Night at the Museum will definitely want to get a glimpse of the big dinosaur that can fetch as good as any golden retriever.

In fact, much of the fun of visiting the American Museum of Natural History nowadays, for both kids and their parents, is finding the exhibits that came to life in the movie. For the most part, it's all there. The little dioramas featuring the movie's tiny characters are available for up close viewing. The monkey and Mr. Khan also await your fascinated viewing. In essence, the American Museum of Natural History in the Big Apple becomes two tourist destinations in one. The museum offers an opportunity to learn about everything from dinosaur fossils to the Star of India, the world's largest blue sapphire. At the same time, the museum allows kids to relive the events of the movie: pretending to be chased by dinosaurs and Mongol hordes. Maybe a day at the museum is no Night at the Museum, but there must be something to a place that has been around for almost 150 years.