Top 10 Disaster Films Set in Historical Museums

Description: This film, while not set in a museum, involves historical events and artifacts. The story of the Tsavo maneaters, whose skulls are now displayed in the Field Museum, provides a historical backdrop to the tale of survival and disaster.

Fact: The film is based on a true story, and the actual skulls of the maneaters are on display in the Field Museum in Chicago.

Description: Set in the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, this film blends science fiction with horror as a creature terrorizes the museum, leading to a disastrous night for visitors and staff.

Fact: The film was based on the novel "Relic" by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, and it was one of the first films to use CGI extensively for creature effects.

Description: Although primarily an adventure film, it involves a museum where ancient Egyptian artifacts are housed, leading to a series of supernatural disasters when the mummy is awakened. The museum setting provides a historical context for the unfolding chaos.

Fact: The film was inspired by the 1932 film of the same name, but it takes a more action-packed approach.

Description: While not exclusively about a museum, the film features a pivotal scene where the New York Public Library, a historical institution, becomes a refuge during a catastrophic weather event. The library's historical significance adds depth to the disaster narrative.

Fact: The film's special effects, particularly the scenes involving the library, were groundbreaking at the time.

Description: While more of a mystery thriller, the film involves a race to uncover secrets hidden in historical artifacts, leading to potential disasters in museums and churches. The Louvre Museum in Paris plays a significant role in the narrative.

Fact: The film was shot on location at the Louvre, with special permission to film at night.

Description: This family-friendly comedy turns the American Museum of Natural History into a nighttime playground where history comes alive, but chaos ensues when the exhibits start to misbehave. It's a disaster of a different kind, where the 'disaster' is the fun and mayhem caused by animated historical figures.

Fact: The film was shot at the actual American Museum of Natural History in New York City, and many of the exhibits featured are real museum pieces.

Description: This film, based on true events, follows a group of art historians and museum curators during WWII, tasked with rescuing art from the Nazis. While not a traditional disaster film, the potential destruction of historical art and artifacts creates a sense of urgency and disaster.

Fact: The film was inspired by the book "The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History" by Robert M. Edsel.

Description: This film, based on true events, follows a group of art historians and museum curators during WWII, tasked with rescuing art from the Nazis. While not a traditional disaster film, the potential destruction of historical art and artifacts creates a sense of urgency and disaster.

Fact: The film was inspired by the book "The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History" by Robert M. Edsel.

Description: While not a traditional disaster film, this Wes Anderson masterpiece involves a hotel with a rich history, where theft, murder, and political upheaval create a chaotic environment reminiscent of a museum under siege.

Fact: The film features a fictional art piece, "Boy with Apple," which becomes central to the plot.

Description: This film follows the real-life explorer Percy Fawcett into the Amazon, where his quest for a lost city leads to personal and historical disasters. The Royal Geographical Society, a historical institution, plays a role in the narrative.

Fact: The film was shot in various locations in Colombia, Brazil, and England to recreate the historical settings.