George Lucas, the legendary creator of the “Star Wars” saga, on Wednesday showcased his long-awaited Museum of Narrative Art, the culmination of nearly two decades of work and numerous obstacles.
An aerial view of the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art before a media preview of the 300,000 square foot structure in Exposition Park on September 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.— AFP
“I’m used to doing the impossible. This one almost broke my will,” Lucas said as he offered reporters a first glimpse inside, ahead of the museum’s official opening on September 22.
A Luke Skywalker landspeeder is displayed in the “Star Wars in Motion” exhibit at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art during a media preview of the 300,000 square foot structure on September 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.— AFP
Lucas, 82, has described the complex built with his wife and business partner, Mellody Hobson, as the “people’s temple of art.”
R2-D2 and a C-3PO costumes are displayed in the “Star Wars in Motion” exhibit at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art during a media preview of the 300,000 square foot structure on September 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.— AFP
“Part of the problem is I’m a contrarian. I don’t like to do things that people think can be done,” he added. “I’m fascinated by doing things that people say can’t be done.”
A sculpture of Princess Leia and Jabba The Hut, characters from Star Wars, are displayed outside the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art during a media preview of the 300,000 square foot structure in Exposition Park on September 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. — AFP
The futuristic-looking museum was built on what used to be a parking lot next to the University of Southern California, the filmmaker’s alma mater.
Architect Ma Yansong speaks about the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art during a media preview of the 300,000 square foot structure on September 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. — AFP
That personal connection, combined with Los Angeles’s place at the heart of American cinema, made it the ideal home for the project, executive director Tracey Bates told AFP.
Visitors walk by pieces created by Banksy at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. — AFP
At the entrance, visitors are greeted by the yellow Naboo N-1 starfighter from “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (1999), but with more than 9,300 square meters of exhibition space, the offerings go far beyond the beloved saga.
Visitors gather in the library of the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art during a media preview of the 300,000 square foot structure in Exposition Park on September 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.— AF
An aerial view of the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art before a media preview of the 300,000 square foot structure in Exposition Park on September 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.— AFP
It’s more than 30 galleries feature works by artists including Banksy, Frida Kahlo, Jacob Lawrence, Charles White, and Robert Colescott; comics by Winsor McCay, Jack Kirby, and Frank Frazetta; and illustrations by Norman Rockwell, Jessie Willcox Smith, and NC Wyeth.
Visitors gather at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. — AFP
“Narrative art is stories that are illustrated,” Bates said. “A story that you can see a picture in one frame, and it doesn’t need further explanation.”
“Time That Coincides” by Arnoldo Coen (L) is displayed at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. — AFP
Lucas said he wanted to highlight the work of illustrators.
A visitor takes photos of a piece created by Banksy at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art during a media preview of the 300,000 square foot structure on September 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.— AFP
“A picture is very powerful, and the stories are very powerful, and you combine them together, and those two elements create a society,” he said.
A costume for the Cowardly Lion from “The Wizard of Oz” is displayed at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. — AFP
“And that’s why I wanted to build this, because, you know, narrative art creates a group of people with a common belief system, and that common belief system allows them to work together, not kill each other.”
An Imperial speeder bike (R) from “Return of the Jedi” is displayed at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art during a media preview of the 300,000 square foot structure in Exposition Park on September 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.— AFP
The museum’s unusual design — a green roof that blends into the surrounding landscape — is meant to offer a glimpse of the future and spark visitors’ curiosity, said Ma Yansong, the architect behind the project.
A Princess Leia costume from “The Empire Strikes Back” is displayed in the “Star Wars in Motion” exhibit at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
A Naboo N-1 Starfighter from Star Wars is displayed at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. — AFP
“We want to make architecture look futuristic and make people curious. What is it?” Yansong said. “Some people say this is a spaceship. Some people say this is a cloud, but that makes people curious. What’s in there? They want to discover on their own.”
