The 300,000-square-foot museum, designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects in collaboration with Stantec, features more than 100,000 square feet of gallery space across more than 30 galleries. Its collection includes more than 10,000 works, with more than 1,300 works featured in the inaugural exhibitions. The artists represented span centuries and artistic mediums, including Artemisia Gentileschi, Vincent van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Norman Rockwell, Diego Rivera, Frank Frazetta and Robert Crumb.
The museum aims to challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and popular culture by presenting comics, illustration and cinema alongside painting, sculpture and photography as part of one continuous tradition of visual storytelling.
Lucas said it took him 17 years to turn this dream into reality, and what he enjoys most is making the impossible possible. He believes people should create, challenge conventions and have the courage to take risks, even in the face of criticism. Only by daring to challenge the status quo can people discover and define who they truly are.
The inaugural exhibitions begin on the first floor with The History of Narrative Art: Heroes • Myths • The Sacred, which explores how visual storytelling has shaped mythology, inspired devotion, built communities and influenced societies over tens of thousands of years.
The exhibition combines works from the museum’s collection with highly detailed reproductions of important artworks, architecture and archaeological sites from around the world. Highlights include reproductions of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the Aztec Sun Stone and ancient cave paintings, allowing visitors to experience cultural treasures that are otherwise scattered across the globe in a single gallery.
The fourth and fifth floors feature exhibitions organized around themes, artistic mediums and individual artists. Subjects include love, family, community, fantasy, romance and adventure, while dedicated galleries explore comics, manga, graphic novels, photography and murals.
The mural galleries will feature works connected to Chicana muralist Judith F. Baca’s landmark The History of California, commonly known as The Great Wall of Los Angeles, as well as works by renowned muralists Diego Rivera and JR. The museum will also present iconic works by street artist Banksy, including previously unseen acquisitions obtained directly from the artist’s studio.
For movie fans, Star Wars in Motion will be one of the highlights of the inaugural exhibitions. Drawing from the Lucas Archives, the exhibition will showcase concept designs, props and costumes from the first six Star Wars films, highlighting the vehicles that helped define the saga’s visual world.
Visitors will see materials associated with Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder from Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), as well as the first physical build of General Grievous’ Wheel Bike from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005). The exhibition offers a behind-the-scenes look at how ideas and designs evolved from concepts into the finished cinematic experience.
The museum will also feature two state-of-the-art theaters, the Robert Flaherty Theater and the Slavko Vorkapich Theater. Their ongoing film programs will explore cinema as both a storytelling medium and a technology for creating moving visual experiences, with films ranging from early cinema to contemporary works.
Beyond its galleries, the museum will offer a free Research Library containing more than 30,000 comic books, along with extensive collections covering children’s literature, illustration, cinema, mythology, photography and popular culture.
The library also houses more than 2,900 volumes from the personal library of renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell, whose concept of the “hero’s journey” had a profound influence on generations of storytellers and famously influenced George Lucas in the creation of Star Wars. Another 3,000 art books were donated by actor, writer, musician and collector Steve Martin and his wife, Ann Martin.
The museum’s 13-acre campus is another major attraction. Designed by landscape architect Mia Lehrer of Studio-MLA, the new Park and Gardens replaces what was previously an asphalt parking lot with more than 300 newly planted trees, meadows, an amphitheater, a hanging garden and a dramatic waterfall-inspired fountain.
Ten monumental outdoor sculptures are also installed throughout the grounds, extending the museum’s storytelling concept into the public landscape. Works include sculptures by Fernando Botero and Benjamin Victor, as well as pieces inspired by characters and stories from the Star Wars universe.
At the top of the museum, Skywalker Grill will offer lunch, dinner and weekend brunch to both museum visitors and the general public. Designed by Rockwell Group, the restaurant combines classic American cuisine with California-grown ingredients and offers panoramic views of Los Angeles. It will remain open beyond museum hours.
The Lucas Museum will begin welcoming guests through a series of events ahead of its public opening. Member Preview Days will take place September 5 through 11, followed by a Neighborhood Preview Day on September 13 for community partners, local business owners, civic leaders, students and residents of the museum’s 90037 ZIP code.
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art officially opens to the public on September 22, 2026.
From ancient mythology to Star Wars, from celebrated paintings to comics and street art, the museum seeks to explore a question that has connected civilizations throughout history: Why do human beings have such a powerful need to tell their stories through images?