The Story Machine, the Lucas Museum Opens in Exposition Park
George Lucas and Mellody Hobson open a five-story museum of illustration, comics, murals and Star Wars artifacts.
Los Angeles has a new landmark that looks like it landed. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, opened to the public on Tuesday, September 22, in Exposition Park, and LAist reported that thousands of visitors were expected on the first day.
Ma Yansong of MAD Architects designed the five-story, 300,000-square-foot building with Stantec, with landscape by Studio-MLA. Inside are more than 100,000 square feet of gallery space across more than 30 galleries, along with two theaters, a library and a restaurant.
The opening exhibitions hold more than 1,300 works from a collection ArchDaily puts at more than 40,000. The range is the point. Norman Rockwell and N.C. Wyeth share the building with Frida Kahlo, Vincent van Gogh, Jacob Lawrence, Beatrix Potter, Robert Crumb, Frank Frazetta, Diego Rivera and Judith F. Baca.
Then there is Star Wars in Motion, with concept designs, props and costumes from the first six films. R2-D2 greeted guests at the entrance on opening day, and an invite-only gala the Saturday before drew guests including Oprah Winfrey and Harrison Ford.
“It is our gift to you because it belongs to all of us,” Hobson said at the opening, as quoted by LAist. “And so we say welcome home.” Adult tickets are $25, seniors pay $21, and entry is free for visitors 17 and under, members, active-duty military and residents of the 90037 ZIP code. All tickets are timed entry.
