George Lucas’ Museum Will Finally Open September 2026

At last, we know when George Lucas’ lavish new art museum will open its doors: September 22, 2026. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a passion project for the Star Wars creator and his wife and collaborator, Mellody Hobson, has been in the works for over a decade, with potential sites scouted in San Francisco and Chicago before Los Angeles won out.

While there will be a small section devoted to the galaxy far, far away—Lucas, of course, knows there’ll be fan demand for it—the Lucas Museum has a much broader objective, aiming to celebrate storytelling in all its forms.

“Stories are mythology, and when illustrated, they help humans understand the mysteries of life,†Lucas said in a press release.

Hodson added, “This is a museum of the people’s art—the images are illustrations of beliefs we live with every day. For that reason, this art belongs to everyone. Our hope is that as people move through the galleries, they will see themselves, and their humanity, reflected back.â€

The museum’s website details what visitors will be able to see and experience in the collection, which dates back to Lucas’ college days and his first art purchase: “an illustration of Alley Oop, the time-traveling caveman.â€

Decades later, the artwork represents a wide array of famous names and art styles, including Norman Rockwell, Jessie Willcox Smith, Maxfield Parrish, N. C. Wyeth, Winsor McCay, Frank Frazetta, George Herriman, Jack Kirby, Robert Crumb, Frida Kahlo, Jacob Lawrence, Charles White, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Robert Colescott, Judith F. Baca, and Diego Rivera.

And, yes, the Lucas Museum also has “the complete Lucas Archives (1971–2012)—the original Lucasfilm materials retained by George Lucas after the company’s sale—reflecting its dedication to storytelling in every medium.â€

The museum building itself, designed by Ma Yansong, is sculptural and striking and is surrounded by a Mia Lehrer-designed green space; in addition to its many galleries, it’ll feature two theaters, a library, a restaurant and cafe, a retail store, and more.

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