The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles will open to the public on September 22, 2026, with about 20 inaugural exhibitions curated by George Lucas himself across more than 30 galleries. The $1-billion, 300,000-square-foot museum in Exposition Park, designed by Ma Yansong of Mad Architects, will display over 1,200 objects from Lucas's collection of more than 40,000 works, including manga, comics, children's illustrations, and narrative art by artists such as Norman Rockwell, Beatrix Potter, and Dorothea Lange, with only one exhibition focused on "Star Wars" memorabilia.
The opening marks the culmination of a long journey that began with Lucas's 2017 decision to build in Los Angeles, delayed by the pandemic and construction challenges. The museum's focus on narrative art—from ancient sculptures to modern cinema—positions it as a unique institution that broadens the definition of art beyond traditional fine art, emphasizing storytelling as a universal human experience. Its location in Exposition Park and its rotating collection of "the people's art" could reshape how audiences engage with visual narratives and attract new visitors to the Los Angeles cultural landscape.