Directed by Jon Turteltaub, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures, National Treasure (2004) adds a family-friendly element to the museum heist and treasure hunt genres. The story centers on Benjamin Franklin Gates, a historian and cryptographer who is on a quest to find the world's most valuable treasure… collected over centuries by Secret Societies and the Knights Templar, and then taken to the US and hidden by the Freemasons in the 18th Century. Clues and Masonic Symbols lead Gates to the conclusion that the Founding Fathers made a secret treasure map on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Now, Gates must steal the document from the highly secure National Archives before the bad guys get it first. An implausible storyline doesn't hinder this fun tale… traveling from Washington D.C. to Philadelphia to New York and Boston. Full of adventure and history, the film is entertaining and a cut above the usual dull family fare. The cast does a good job, including Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Harvey Keitel, Sean Bean, Christopher Plummer, Justin Bartha and Jon Voight.
Christopher Plummer: National Treasure. The Freemasons
The Secret lies with Charlotte: National Treasure. The Freemasons
: National Treasure. The Freemasons
: National Treasure. The Freemasons
The Declaration of Independence: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Freemason Symbol: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger: National Treasure. The Freemasons
George Washington Medal: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger and Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Nicolas Cage and the Declaration of Independence: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger and Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Freemason Symbol: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Jon Voight: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger and Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Harvey Keitel: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger and Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger and Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Freemason Symbol : National Treasure. The Freemasons
Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger and Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger: National Treasure. The Freemasons
The All Seeing Eye: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger and Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger and Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger and Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger and Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Nicolas Cage and Harvey Keitel: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger and Nicolas Cage: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Freemason Symbol: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Ancient Treasure: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Ancient Treasure: National Treasure. The Freemasons
Diane Kruger, Nicolas Cage and Jon Voight: National Treasure. The Freemasons
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour
I recently visited Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of President George Washington and had the pleasure of going on a "National Treasure Tour." The special tour features spots on the property, not include in public tours, which were used for filming scenes in Disney's 2007 film National Treasure: Book of Secrets. In the film, protagonist Benjamin Franklin Gates crashes the current President's birthday party at Mount Vernon in hopes of getting the President alone so that he might gain important information from him. He appeals to the President's sense of adventure by showing him a map that details a secret tunnel leading away from the basement at Mount Vernon… which the two then proceed to search for. (If you haven't seen the film, watch it, I won't reveal the plot further). Some of the elements about secretive aspects of the Mount Vernon property portrayed in the film are fictionalized, obviously, but make for great fun… both on screen and on the guided tour.
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour. Basement, secret tunnel
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour. Basement door
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour. Coat of Arms
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour. Basement, secret tunnel
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour. Basement, secret tunnel
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour. Basement, secret tunnel
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour. Ice House, secret passage
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour. Freemason buttons
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour. Freemason artifacts
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour
George Washington's Mount Vernon: New Tomb of the Washington Family
George Washington's Mount Vernon: New Tomb of the Washington Family
George Washington's Mount Vernon: New Tomb of the Washington Family
George Washington's Mount Vernon: New Tomb of Washington
George Washington's Mount Vernon: Old Tomb of the Washington Family
George Washington's Mount Vernon: George Washington's false teeth
George Washington's Mount Vernon
George Washington's Mount Vernon
George Washington's Mount Vernon
George Washington's Mount Vernon: Necessary Room / Outhouse
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour
George Washington's Mount Vernon: National Treasure Tour. Landing Spot on Potomac
