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Night At The Museum 2 prepares to take over Oxford Street

Night At The Museum 2, London takeover

Story by Jack Foley

NEW West End Company has announced that – for the first time in history – the west of Oxford Street will be closed to traffic for one day over the second May Bank Holiday weekend.

The world renowned shopping destination will turn into a pedestrian oasis between 12 noon and 5pm on Saturday, May 23, 2009.

To entice families into the area, West End retailers will put on over £250,000 worth of free children’s entertainment throughout the day.

In addition there will be themed live entertainment along the street in conjunction with the new Ben Stiller event comedy adventure movie, Night at the Museum 2, released in cinemas on May 20.

London’s West End is expecting to welcome a record number of May Bank Holiday visitors this year as families increasingly choose to holiday in the UK.

Retailers are also expecting to see a boom in visitors from the Eurozone, as European tourists capitalise on the favourable exchange rate. And while Shop West End VIP Day sees Oxford Street and Regent Street cleared of traffic in December, this is the first time this kind of event has been hosted in the summer season.

Says Richard Dickinson, CEO, New West End Company: “This Bank Holiday event is all about encouraging families into London’s West End, particularly Oxford Street, for the beginning of the summer season. With fantastic offers available across the stores and an incredible family-friendly atmosphere, the traffic free day will give a real boost to trade in the area.”

West End retailers including Selfridges, Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, John Lewis, House of Fraser, McDonalds, Primark, and Boots will provide free family entertainment, including live music, in-store offers and promotions and themed on-street entertainment.

Night at the Museum 2 is officially partnering the event and will showcase street-based spectacles for kids and adults alike, including an appearance from the film’s T-Rex.

Night at the Museum 2 will reunite Ben Stiller with many of the cast from the original film as well as introducing several new characters from history.

The centerpiece of the film will be bringing to life the Smithsonian Institution, which houses the world’s largest museum complex with more than 136 million items in its collections, ranging from the plane Amelia Earhart flew on her solo flight across the Atlantic, Al Capone’s rap sheet and mug shot to Dorothy’s ruby red slippers and Archie Bunker’s lounge chair.

No major film has been shot inside the Smithsonian in Washington ….. until now!

View photos of the T-Rex in London