Ted, a highly enthusiastic guide at the Bloomsberry Museum, gives a tour to a group of schoolchildren and their teacher Maggie, who happens to be Ted's biggest fan. When the museum's owner, Mr. Bloomsberry, tells Ted that his beloved museum will have to be closed because of meager attendance, they decide drastic measures are needed in a last-ditch effort to save the museum: an amazing new exhibit, never before seen at any museum. Mr. Bloomsberry shows Ted his secret journal with a map to a lost shrine of the African tribe of Zagawa. Finding and bringing back the gigantic idol for an exhibition will save the museum! Ted starts planning his trip to Africa, but Bloomsberry, Jr., who would like nothing more than to see the museum converted into a parking lot, covertly sabotages the expedition. In the jungle, a mischievous little monkey spies Ted in the distance and decides to make friends. Ted finds what he believes to be the ancient idol, and is shocked to find it is absolutely tiny! The dejected explorer sends a photograph of his discovery to Mr. Bloomsberry, who mistakenly believes the picture to be that of the enormous idol. Ted finds a distraction to his worries when he succumbs to the charms of the playful monkey. When it comes time for Ted to leave Africa, his new friend secretly stows away aboard the ship. Meanwhile, Mr. Bloomsberry is busy making his plans at the museum to unveil the prized idol. Arriving home, Ted is horrified to discover that his simian friend has followed him to his apartment building, where pets are not permitted. As if matters couldn't get worse, poor Ted is now evicted from his apartment building. Ted is then pushed in front of a press conference arranged by Bloomsberry, Jr. As he's about to reveal the truth about the idol, the scene is disrupted when the monkey accidentally causes the museum's dinosaur exhibit to collapse. Egged on by his son, Mr. Bloomsberry fires Ted on the spot. Ted is furious with this monkey who has caused so much trouble. As despondent George is being loaded on a cargo ship back to Africa, Ted quickly realizes George has brought joy to his life in the middle of his crisis and runs to the ship to save his buddy. Overjoyed at the reunion with his human friend, George shows Ted that the tiny idol is actually the key to a secret map that will help them find the giant idol of Zagawa.