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LUCAS MUSEUM

Of Narrative Art Comes to L.A.

October 10th, 2026 by Randi Lavik

Well, aren’t we lucky? I love L.A. We love it!

After negotiating with San Francisco and Chicago, George Lucas and Mellody Hobson invested a decade of their lives and a billion dollars-plus, to build their dream, right in the middle of Exposition Park, in downtown Los Angeles.

Dreamers achieve glorious results.

The museum is a marvel. The building resembles the workplace of George Jetson. Literally. Its massive white structure hovers like a tarantula, with an observation window smack dab in the middle.

Glass elevators in the sweeping lobby, staffed by friendly attendants, resemble the postmodern bays in the nearby Bonaventure, and they move just as quickly. I defy anyone to find an angle in the building. Curved glass, curved walls, and stark white smooth paneling is all around.

The inside features something for everyone. A museum of storytelling and storytellers. Much of the collection is housed on the fourth floor and visitors are given a three-hour window to see everything. I confess I had to skip the massive archives of Normal Rockwells (His) in favor of the Maxfield Parrish gallery (Hers). The art spans from the turn-of-the-century to today.

If you are a Star Wars fan, come on down. Everything is there and I mean everything. Original costumes, vehicles, set pieces and artistic renderings. I especially enjoyed seeing vintage comic book art, including Kelly Freas from MAD Magazine, Howard the Duck #1, and Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor comic. Keep on Truckin’!

The manga and Japanese illustrations are extraordinary. A treasure trove of African-American and Latin-American pieces are represented as well. I recognized many commercial artists (that one might not see in a traditional gallery), and they hold an astonishing children’s book illustration collection as well.

Galleries and galleries, 1,500 pieces are on display. Interestingly, the art is categorized by theme rather than artist or a specific time period.

On the fifth floor, Banksy. Just Banksy. That’s pretty great, it just is.

A museum docent informed me that the Lucases hold 40,000 works, so it’s a safe bet to expect revolving exhibits.

The Lucas Museum includes an attached research library, a futuristic Starbucks, a cafe and a hot-ticket restaurant, The Skywalker Grill, that I’m still trying to get into.

The gift shop has a lot of Star Wars collectibles, a fab book collection, good prints, and interesting clothing and accessories featuring the collection. A Swarovski Darth Vader necklace, a lovely Frazetta tote – for the fashionista who has everything, it’s a great place to browse.

The park and grounds feature sculptures of Rosie the Riveter and a wonderful Henry Moore in the center of the garden, alongside Star Wars creatures. Outdoor spaces are open to the public during operating hours and worth visiting as well. I noted many plants and trees that are native to Northern California; a homage to Skywalker Ranch up north, indeed.

Tickets for the general public are available, however, you need to become a supporting member of the museum to purchase tickets currently.

Thank you Lucas family for the gift of imaginative, user-friendly art and a fantastic space to enjoy it in.

MUSEUM PHOTO GALLERY

TO FOLLOW

SIPHOTOD 261010 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR