George Lucas, who practically invented the summer blockbuster, who brought the world such beloved characters as Luke Skywalker, Indiana Jones, and Jar Jar Binks, the man whose companies spent decades pioneering innovations in visual effects, sound, digital production, and video games, who ultimately handed a $4 billion dollar IP empire to Disney, believes, at 82, that his true legacy will be a museum. After visiting the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a sprawling complex in the shadow of the LA Coliseum, I’m not quite willing to agree, but I will entertain the argument.
When the prospect of visiting during opening week came up, I was less than thrilled. A Star Wars museum? But when I mentioned it to my art-historian husband, his jaw hit the floor. The only reason I know anything about Gaugin or Caravaggio is because of him and his list of art museums that he wants to see before he dies. He was excited for me, and a little jealous, and as I started seeing all the directors, actors, and industry insiders posting raves about the experience and the BUILDING OMG, I started to understand the enthusiasm, even if I couldn’t yet share it.
It did look like a great experience for someone, but I’m a full-time working mom of a toddler, not the biggest Star Wars fan or art nerd like my husband. At some point it was whispered that there were galleries dedicated to motherhood and children’s stories, a soft spot, I admit, and that did the trick. If I couldn’t get excited about the Force, there was something for me to look forward to.
Our afternoon arrival via Uber was uneventful. There were no lines and getting through security was a breeze. Upon entering the expansive exterior plaza, there was an unmistakable electricity in the air. This was a state-of-the-art, sustainable facility, sparkling and brand new, and the architecture was a marvel. I’d need more than the two hours I’d budgeted to fully appreciate all five floors, especially since I intended my first stop, obligatory for any mom or wife, was the gift shop to appease my aforementioned art-loving husband.
Spanning over 100,000 square feet of dedicated gallery space, there is something to captivate every visitor. Each exhibit in the landmark space thoughtfully invites you to pause, reflect, and appreciate the craftsmanship of the storytellers Lucas intended to celebrate. I was mesmerized by the seamless integration of technology, the ultra-high-definition display panels showing digital displays of iconic art from all eras and around the globe. The striking, futuristic architecture gives a modern, intuitive flow to the galleries as they spread across multiple floors, seamlessly catering to every artistic taste.
The interactive installation, The History of Narrative Art: Heroes, Myths, the Sacred showcases the finest modern display technology and provides an immersive experience that will thrill any digital art enthusiast. Yes, the Star Wars stuff is there, lots of it, life-sized props and cinematic artifacts from all the movies, with a little seasoning from Indiana Jones. But this isn’t a movie museum, per se, with only 7% of the total museum content celebrating the magic of cinema.
The focus, as featured in the very name of the museum, is on narrative art, so there are galleries with themes such as Children’s Stories, Photography, Civic Life, History, Romance and Fantasy. The science fiction gallery pushed my imagination to new heights, as I’m sure it will yours. My husband would have loved the galleries dedicated to the mastery and artistic evolution of individual artists such as Frank Frazetta, Norman Rockwell, and Thomas Hart Benton. Street art fans can admire works by Banksy (head straight to the top floor to experience the stunning mural gallery, featuring monumental works I never anticipated seeing in person).
Beyond the traditional exhibition rooms, the state-of-the-art theater, library and vibrant gift shop offers a dynamic variety of interactive and educational spaces, allowing guests to explore and engage with narrative storytelling in all its forms. Highlights of my visit? The Norman Rockwell collection was an absolute stand-out. The breathtaking diversity of mediums and varying scales of artwork, ranging from intricate pocket-sized sketches to impressive life-sized sculptures instantly brought back fond childhood memories of flipping through classic coffee table art books at my Nana’s house. I could spend two hours alone immersing myself in that gallery, soaking up the nostalgia.
An exhibit I found oddly captivating was the architectural proposals and conceptual designs from MAD Architects for potential Lucas Museum locations across the globe, which is in a way a kind of narrative art in its own right.
Despite visiting during a peak afternoon, the crowd control and guest management were brilliantly handled, ensuring guests never felt rushed or stuck in long queues. I also loved the cafeteria where I could quickly grab a granola bar and bottle of water to keep myself sustained through the visit. If I had more time, I would have loved taking a longer break at the Skywalker Cafe.
“Storytelling through art” is truly the guiding ethos of the entire space. Reconnecting with the rest of the FilmFrog team at the conclusion of our tour, we all echoed the same sentiment: this institution is something uniquely extraordinary. Whether you have a full days’ time to dedicate or a quick 2hr visit between meetings, I highly recommend the Lucas Museum; film and art lovers will already know they have a place here- the rest of us do, too.