George Lucas Opens New Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles
- Star Wars franchise creator George Lucas and his wife, business partner Mellody Hobson, welcomed their first visitors to the newly opened Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles...
- The museum houses more than 30 galleries featuring a diverse range of visual storytelling, according to AFP.
- Lucas and Hobson stood personally at the museum entrance to greet the facility's first 100 visitors, shaking hands as guests walked through the doors.
Star Wars franchise creator George Lucas and his wife, business partner Mellody Hobson, welcomed their first visitors to the newly opened Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles on Sept. 22, according to reporting by Agence France-Presse. Built on a former parking lot next to the University of Southern California—the filmmaker’s alma mater—the biomorphic, spaceship-inspired structure spans more than 9,300 square meters of exhibition space. The grand opening drew Star Wars superfans and art enthusiasts who lined up to explore the cultural institution, which creators intend to serve as a people’s temple of art.
Inside the Collections and Galleries at the Lucas Museum
The museum houses more than 30 galleries featuring a diverse range of visual storytelling, according to AFP. Visitors entering the facility are immediately greeted by the yellow Naboo N-1 starfighter featured in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Beyond the signature sci-fi spacecraft, the galleries showcase works by prominent fine artists including Banksy, Frida Kahlo, Jacob Lawrence, Charles White, and Robert Colescott. Wyeth. Attendees inside the gift shop shared reactions to the museum’s broad scope. Sandi Granados, a 30-year-old film industry cosmetologist, told AFP that she appreciated how the institution bridges pop culture and traditional fine art.
I really love that Lucas is using his platform to bring other artists together.
It’s not just for him.
He’s using his name to help local artists and big artists come together.
Community Impact and Opening Day Reactions in Los Angeles
Lucas and Hobson stood personally at the museum entrance to greet the facility’s first 100 visitors, shaking hands as guests walked through the doors. Among the early arrivals was Eric Cheung, a dentist and realtor who arrived dressed in a full Star Wars X-wing pilot costume complete with a bright orange jumpsuit and combat helmet. Cheung noted to AFP that he quickly secured a museum membership and trained as a volunteer.
Each art piece tells a story.
Everybody can look at the same thing, and then we can create different stories.
Brenda Chambliss, a neighborhood resident of more than ten years, told AFP that the facility carries deep significance for the surrounding community. She noted that the area often deals with a stigma tied to poverty and crime, making the breathtaking building and its surrounding public park—which requires no ticket for entry—a welcome addition.
