LOS ANGELES — September 3, 2026 — A major new American cultural institution is preparing to open in Los Angeles as the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art gets ready to welcome the public on September 22.

Founded by filmmaker George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, the museum is dedicated to visual storytelling and brings together artwork spanning illustration, comics, science fiction, fantasy, film and traditional fine art.

Located in Los Angeles' Exposition Park, the 300,000-square-foot museum features galleries, theaters, a library, dining areas and community spaces. Its collection includes works associated with artists such as Norman Rockwell, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Andy Warhol and Banksy, alongside material from Lucas' own collection.

More Than a Star Wars Museum

Although Star Wars material is expected to attract enormous attention, organizers emphasize that the museum is much broader than Lucas' most famous film franchise.

Only about 7% of the museum's gallery space is devoted to Star Wars-related material, according to the Associated Press. The institution instead aims to give greater recognition to illustrators, comic artists and other creators whose work has traditionally occupied a different position from conventional fine art.

The museum's central idea is that storytelling itself can be an art form, regardless of whether the work originated in a comic book, movie, children's publication or traditional gallery.

A New Cultural Landmark for Los Angeles

Designed by architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects, the futuristic building is intended to become a major architectural landmark in Los Angeles.

Rather than organizing its galleries strictly by artistic movements or historical periods, the museum uses themes connected to human life and storytelling, including subjects such as sports and civic activism.

The approach could make the museum particularly attractive to visitors who are interested in both traditional art and popular culture.

Why the Museum Matters

The Lucas Museum represents a significant shift in how a major U.S. institution presents visual culture.

By placing comic art, illustration, film imagery and fine art within the same cultural framework, the museum challenges the traditional boundaries between “high art” and popular visual storytelling.

With its September opening approaching, the museum is expected to become a major addition to Los Angeles' already influential arts and cultural scene.

For American audiences, the project offers a new way to look at the relationship between art, movies, illustration, imagination and storytelling—and could influence how museums present popular culture to future generations.