George Lucas celebrates star-studded opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art officially opens its doors to the public this week and soon, everyone will be able to explore what George Lucas had been working on for so long.
Located in Exposition Park in South Los Angeles, the museum is a 13-acre campus that explores the universal art of storytelling through art forms ranging from cave paintings and ancient sculpture to comics, illustration, photography, films, murals and more, according to a press release.
To toast the museum's opening, Lucas and his wife and co-founder Mellody Hobson held a star-studded celebration Saturday night, which was co-chaired by Tom Cruise, Julie Bell, Guillermo del Toro, Greta Gerwig, Sir Lewis Hamilton, Jensen Huang, JR, Steven Spielberg and Pharrell Williams.
The event opened with a joyous performance by Pharrell Williams and the Voices of Fire gospel choir, followed by remarks by Hobson, Lucas and more.
"When we started this museum, we used to tag it as a temple to illustrators and as it turns out, it sounds like it was a church for illustration," Lucas said.
Read on for everything to know about the museum.
How long did it take George Lucas to bring the museum to life?
During a press preview for the museum in early September, the "Star Wars" filmmaker said that the museum took 17 years to make -- from trying to find a city for it to getting the museum built. He said part of the reason why it took him so long was because he's a "contrarian."
"I don't like to do things that people think can be done. I'm fascinated by doing things that people say can't be done," Lucas said. "And even when you do it, they say, 'Well that's not any good. You can't do that,' and all that sort of thing."
Hobson and Lucas have said that they initially looked to Chicago and San Francisco to build the museum, before turning to Los Angeles.
What to know about the building
Lucas worked with architect Ma Yansong on the building's design, which was intended to be a "sculptural, organic form shaped by light, clouds, and the surrounding tree canopy," according to the Lucas Museum website.
At the museum's opening night, Yansong said in the time that he's known Lucas, he said that the filmmaker likes to "do things impossible and make it real."
"Someone said this is a spaceship, but the idea was nature," he added. "This is a big park, so we wanted to provide more nature, more emotion, to the people in the future."
What artwork can be found in the Lucas museum?
While the museum does have a plethora of Star Wars artifacts and memorabilia, Hobson told ABC News at the opening that the Star Wars collection makes up only seven percent of the museum.
"There's so much else and people have been blown away by how much there is," she said.
The museum's collection ranges in artwork from Norman Rockwell, Jessie Willcox Smith and Maxfield Parrish, to comic artists like Jack Kirby, Windsor McCay and more. There are also murals from Diego Rivera and Judith F. Baca and artwork from Frida Kahlo, Charles White and more.
"You can't say this is art and this is not art," Lucas said at the opening. "Art is in the eye of the beholder. If it's emotional to you, then it's art. Of course I've been criticized up and down sideways for that, but I believe that. Wholeheartedly. That you get to decide what art is."
How did celebs celebrate on opening night?
On opening night, guests including Samuel L. Jackson, Katy Perry, Justin Trudeau, Orlando Bloom, Keke Palmer, Cynthia Erivo, Jon M. Chu, Meg Ryan, Oprah Winfrey, Harrison Ford and more, explored the museum's expansive collection, taking in its diverse array of art and exhibitions.
The night ended with a special drone show from Nova Sky Stories and narrated by Winfrey and Jackson, featuring images from the museum's collection, including the Star Wars' Millennium Falcon and Banksy's "Girl with Balloon." The celebration ended with a surprise performance from the Black Eyed Peas.
While addressing guests that evening, Queen Latifah praised the museum's potential to reshape how audiences experience art.
"It is here to change the way we look at art. Paris has the Louvre, New York has the Met and now, LA has its artistic equal," she said.
When does the museum open to the public?
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art officially opens to the public on Sept. 22, 2026.
Tickets can be found on the museum's website here.
