Sneak peek inside the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art before this month's grand opening
The 300,000-square-foot museum extends well beyond the "Star Wars" universe.
We're getting a sneak peek of the newLucas Museum of Narrative Arton Wednesday, with an early look at the expansive collection of "Star Wars" artifacts, paintings, comics, sculptures and other works ahead of the museum's Sept. 22 public opening.
The five-story, 300,000-square-foot museum has been in development for more than 17 years. Construction began in Exposition Park in 2018.
Created by "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, the museum is packed with familiar characters, droids and starfighters from the franchise, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2, C-3PO and Darth Vader.
But the collection extends well beyond the "Star Wars" universe.
"Newspaper photographs, advertisement book covers, comic books, posters, street art, movies. They're all examples of visual storytelling," said Ryan Linkof, the museum's senior curator and head of film programs.
Thousands of other pieces are on display, including comics, sculptures, Norman Rockwell paintings and so much more. Through the collection, Lucas aims to show the evolution of storytelling through images.
"The picture is very powerful, and the stories are very powerful, and you combine them together, and those two elements create a society," Lucas said.
Bringing the museum to life was a lengthy undertaking for the filmmaker.
"I'm used to doing the impossible. This one almost broke my will," Lucas said.
The museum includes 100,000 square feet of gallery space and more than 30 galleries, according to CEO Tracey Bates. The surrounding grounds also feature new public parks and gardens.
The museum is slated to open to the public on Sept. 22.
Admission will cost $25 for adults, and visitors under 18 can get in for free.
With a price tag of more than $1 billion, the Lucas Museum represents a major addition to Los Angeles' cultural community.
