The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a 300,000-square-foot institution reportedly bankrolled for $1 billion by George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson, has opened in Los Angeles. Located beside the University of Southern California campus, the building is described as a futuristic vision of polymer-clad concrete and glass.
The museum's ambition is to showcase narrative art across human history, from ancient cave paintings to modern comic books. Its collection features a mix of high and low culture, including a 1940 self-portrait by Frida Kahlo, an early Van Gogh, a Picasso sketch, and original Peanuts illustrations by Charles Schulz.
At the opening "Star Wars in Motion" exhibition, visitors can see vehicles such as Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder and Anakin’s Podracer. However, Lucas stated that the museum's purpose is to elevate artists whose works are part of everyday life, honouring illustrators who make stories real.
Lucas described the project as a "long haul" of 17 years, including eight years of construction, after initial plans for San Francisco and Chicago were abandoned. CEO Tracey Bates noted that Lucasfilm archives constitute only seven per cent of the museum, reflecting George Lucas's desire for the institution not to be solely about himself.