After nearly four years of delay, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art announced Wednesday that it will open on Sept. 22, 2026.
The $1 billion, 300,000-square-foot museum, designed by MAD Architects founder Ma Yansong, broke ground in Exposition Park adjacent to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in 2018. It was originally planned to complete capital construction in 2021.That same year, the museum suffered its first major setback when health protocols resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the project's progress. In 2022 the museum delayed their debut to 2025attributing the decision to global supply chain issues that have made it difficult to procure construction materials.
Earlier this year, the opening was delayed again, this time until 2026. The museum now has just over 10 months to put the finishing touches on its 100,000-square-foot exhibition space, which includes 35 galleries, and installs more than 40,000 works of art, including sculptures, comics, children's books, sci-fi illustrations and photography. Artists featured include Norman Rockwell, Frida Kahlo, Dorothea Lange and Maxfield Parrish. There will also be a treasure trove of costumes, props, movie posters and more from co-founder George Lucas' legendary film career, including the Star Wars franchise.
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“Stories are mythology, and when illustrated, they help people understand the mysteries of life,” Lucas said in a statement. “The museum was built on the belief that illustrated storytelling is a universal language.”
During a recent hard hat tour of parts of the museum, including the south-facing research library and grand lobby, The Times saw a building that was finally beginning to take shape. The library has three levels, two of which have balconies with curved wooden railings that overlook the room. The walls are lined with honey-colored wood, and the museum's expansive 11-acre green park. – with rolling hills dotted with native plants and more than 200 newly planted trees – can be seen through an arched row of floor-to-ceiling windows.
Park – designed Mia teacher and her Los Angeles firm Studio-MLA—will be open to the public, including people without museum tickets, from sunrise to sunset.
The main lobby features a series of three glass elevators resembling pneumatic tubes, behind which are two theaters and a large exhibition space that will serve as an introduction to the museum and its holdings. There will be a cafe on the right and a souvenir shop on the left. The galleries are on the fourth floor, and the restaurant is on the fifth.
The restaurant aims to become a food destination for the city; Earlier this year, Oak View Group was announced as the museum's exclusive hospitality partner. OVG's London subsidiary, Rhubarb Hospitality Collection, will take the lead on the culinary offerings. The company's other operations include London's Royal Albert Hall, the Ra Ra Room at PHX Arena in Phoenix and Curtain Call at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.
There is a garden at the top of the museum that visitors will be able to explore, although the museum has not yet announced entry points.
In May, questions arose about the museum's financial condition. after the dismissal of 15 employeesMany of them are part of the organization's education and community programs department, making up about 14% of the staff. Another seven part-time on-duty staff have also been laid off, according to the museum.
Classrooms remain part of the building's design, and the museum released a statement at the time saying, “Education remains a central pillar of the Lucas Museum.”
Drone view of the Lucas Museum. The 11-acre park is filled with native plants and more than 200 newly planted trees.
