"I'm gonna steal the Declaration of Independence" — Ben Gates' words in "National Treasure," not ours.

Movie mythbusting

For the American history buffs, self-appointed mythbusters, and wild-at-heart Nicolas Cage fans, you're in for a well-researched treat. On Friday, Dec. 19, The Virginia Museum of History and Culture will host a screening of "National Treasure" — hold that thought...

If you haven't seen this 2004 household classic, let us sell it to you: A persistent and witty historian — played by Nicolas Cage — hunts down a lost treasure linked to the Founding Fathers. There's just one small step to set it all in motion: stealing the Declaration of Independence, obviously.

Back in action... This museum movie night throws in some cerebral surprises. Staff historians will join the watch party to offer live commentary — fact versus fiction. Which movie moments line up with the history books, and which history-class cameos tie back to the VMHC's collections?

A few event details:

The screening will start at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19, but folks can come as early as 5 p.m.
Commentators will pause the movie to discuss and occasionally fast-forward to trim the run-time.
Food and drinks will be available at the museum cafe.
Tickets include after-hours access to the museum's special VA250th exhibit.
Tickets are $8-10 for youth and $10-12 for adults, depending on member status.

Reserve your tickets.

(Oh, and here's the answer to the photo caption trivia: True.)