National Treasure: Book of Secrets is a sequel to the 2004 hit film National Treasure. It once again stars Nicholas Cage as historian Ben Gates, who finds himself on another search for a hidden treasure.
While the first movie featured numerous locations in the US, this sequel branched out to several international locations along with more American spots as well.
Ford’s Theatre
As the movie opens, we see a flash back to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination at Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC. These scenes were filmed at the Richmond Theatre just outside London. However if you want to visit the real Ford’s Theatre, it is open to the public for tours and performances. You can see the balcony where Lincoln was shot, as well as the gun used to shoot him.
Borders Book Store
The Borders Book Store where Riley is signing books is located in Washington DC. It was filmed at The Hamilton Building, located at 600 14th Street NW.
Greystone Mansion
Ben and Riley break into Abigail’s home. The production used Greystone Mansion, located in Beverly Hills. The mansion has been used in numerous other productions, including Ghostbusters, X-Men, and Spiderman. I haven’t had a chance to visit yet, but I hope to add photos in the future.
J Edgar Hoover Building
We get a quick look at the outside the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It’s headquartered in the J Edgar Hoover Building in downtown Washington DC. The building was featured in the first movie, and appears again here in National Treasure: Book of Secrets.
The Statue of Liberty in Paris
When the clues lead to the Statue of Liberty, Ben determines that it’s not the famous statue in New York Harbor, but the smaller Paris version instead. The statue sits at the edge of a small island in the Seine River.
Ben’s Father’s House
Like the first National Treasure movie, we once again see Ben’s father’s house. The house is located at 1050 Buena Vista Street in Pasadena, California.
The Savoy Hotel London
As the team heads to London, they stay at The Savoy Hotel. Not much is filmed here, but we do see the hotel in an establishing shot.
The Statue of Liberty in New York
Much like the smaller version in Paris, we also see the more famous Statue of Liberty, sitting in New York Harbor. Mitch, played by Ed Harris, takes a phone call while standing below the famous statue.
Buckingham Palace
Ben decides to sneak into Buckingham Palace to check out the Resolute Desk. While the interior scenes were filmed on a soundstage, we do see the exterior of Buckingham Palace as an establishing shot.
University of Maryland
The characters pay a visit to the grounds of the University of Maryland, where they meet with Ben’s mother. I haven’t had a chance to visit this location yet, but will hopefully have pictures in the future.
Easter Egg Roll
To film the Easter Egg Roll, the production team needed an alternate plan, as the White House doesn’t allow filming on it’s grounds. The production ended up filming at the large lawn area at Mount Vernon. They then superimposed the White House into the shots.
The White House
Even though the Easter Egg Roll scenes were filmed at Mount Vernon, shots of the actual White House are indeed used as establishing shots.
St. John’s Episcopal Church
The characters park their van outside St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lafayette Square. You can see Lafayette Park and the White House in the background.
The Capitol Building
In addition to several shots in the distance, the movie also features a scene filmed just outside the Capitol Building. Ben and FBI Agent Sandusky walk by as they discuss the clues. This scene was filmed on the west side of the building, near the Capitol Reflecting Pool.
Mount Vernon
In order to speak to the President, Ben comes up with an elaborate plan to sneak into a party at Mount Vernon where he can get access to the President. He sneaks in by taking a boat along the Potomac River, then climbs up the hill at the back of the estate.
Ben approaches the President in the back of the mansion, where the party is being held. They they go exploring in tunnels underneath the estate. I spoke to several staff members who all told me that the tunnels don’t exist. They were just made up for the film.
The Mount Vernon site includes a lot more than what is seen in the movie. There’s a museum, cafe, gardens, and various buildings around the estate. You can take a guided tour of the inside of the mansion. You will also find the graves of George and Martha Washington on the site as well.
Library of Congress
In order to get a hold of the President’s secret book, the team heads to the Library of Congress. Much like in the first National Treasure movie, the production returned to film at the actual Library of Congress in Washington DC.
Mount Rushmore
The plot of National Treasure: Book of Secrets leads the team to the Mount Rushmore. This location in South Dakota is where the team finally finds the treasure that they’ve been seeking. The production did film at the actual site, and we see the characters walking around the trails at the Mount Rushmore site.
