Mellody Hobson and George Lucas have officially opened the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, creating a major new home for visual storytelling.
The $1 billion museum welcomed the public on September 22, 2026, at Exposition Park. Its 300,000-square-foot building includes more than 100,000 square feet of gallery space across more than 30 galleries.
The museum houses more than 40,000 works from across different periods, cultures and forms of art. Its collection includes illustration, comics, photography, murals, paintings and cinematic art.
For Hobson, the opening is about more than creating another major cultural building. It reflects her belief that art should be accessible and that people should be able to recognize parts of their own lives and experiences in what they see.
Mellody Hobson Brings Her Vision to a Major New Arts Institution
Hobson, president and co-CEO of Ariel Investments, co-founded the museum with Lucas. The project represents years of work to create an institution focused on the power of visual storytelling.
The museum’s collection brings together forms of art that have not always been treated equally by traditional museums. Comics, children’s book illustrations, movie-related artwork and other forms of popular visual culture appear alongside paintings and other established art forms.
Hobson said the museum was created to welcome people from different backgrounds. She also said its wide collection gives visitors opportunities to see themselves and their world reflected in the galleries.
“We wanted a museum unlike any other — one that brings people from every walk of life through the same doors,” Hobson said in a statement published by the museum.
Her approach is also connected to her wider interest in education, culture and preserving Black history. Hobson and Lucas have been involved in efforts connected to the EBONY and JET archives. They have also supported arts education at Spelman College.
George Lucas Expands the Meaning of Narrative Art
Lucas brings his experience as the creator of the Star Wars franchise to an institution built around storytelling through images.
The museum describes narrative art as a tradition that stretches across thousands of years. Its exhibitions move from prehistoric cave paintings and ancient visual culture to modern illustration, comics, photography and cinema.
Lucas has argued that artists who create these works deserve a place in museums because their images help connect people with emotions, beliefs and shared human experiences.
That idea is visible throughout the opening exhibitions. Artists represented include Vincent van Gogh, Jacob Lawrence, Charles White, Ernie Barnes, Norman Rockwell, Charles Schulz, Gordon Parks and Diego Rivera.
The museum also includes a dedicated cinema exhibition called “Star Wars in Motion.” It features designs, props, costumes and illustrations connected to the first six Star Wars films.
Lucas Museum Opens With More Than 40,000 Works
The size of the collection is one of the museum’s biggest features. More than 40,000 works form the permanent collection, while the opening exhibitions present more than 1,200 works and objects across the galleries.
Visitors can explore galleries built around different genres and aspects of human life. These include themes such as love, family, community, childhood, adventure, work and sports.
The collection also has a strong focus on comics and illustration. The museum’s research library holds more than 30,000 comic books, while its broader resources include material from the former Lucasfilm Research Library.
The opening exhibitions also highlight artists working across different forms. Comics, manga, graphic novels, murals, photography and science-fiction illustration all have a place within the museum.
A $1 Billion Museum Designed for Storytelling
The museum’s building is itself part of the experience. Designed by architect Ma Yansong of MAD with Stantec, the structure covers about 300,000 square feet.
It sits within a 13-acre campus featuring gardens, public spaces and a park designed by landscape architect Mia Lehrer and Studio-MLA. The design aims to make the museum feel connected to its surrounding landscape rather than separated from it.
Yansong described the building as an opportunity to create a space that feels light and open. He said the design was intended to invite visitors into a journey of discovery.
The museum also includes theaters, a research library and dining facilities. Its film program provides visitors with another way to experience storytelling beyond traditional gallery exhibitions.
Mellody Hobson and George Lucas Welcome Visitors From Different Backgrounds
The opening has attracted major attention from the worlds of entertainment, business, art and philanthropy.
The opening celebrations included prominent names such as Oprah Winfrey, Queen Latifah, Samuel L. Jackson, Tyler Perry, Spike Lee, Michael B. Jordan and Magic Johnson, according to Black Enterprise. The event also featured a drone show and a performance by will.i.am.
However, the museum’s founders have emphasized that the institution is intended for more than celebrities and art collectors. The museum has also created programs for its South Los Angeles neighbors.
Residents of the 90037 ZIP code can access free admission through the museum’s LM37 program. The museum also held a special community preview day before its public opening.
That community focus fits the founders’ stated goal of creating a museum where visitors from different walks of life can engage with art and storytelling.
A New Chapter for Arts, Education and Visual Storytelling
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art now adds a major new cultural institution to Los Angeles. Its collection connects centuries of visual storytelling with forms of art that many people encounter in everyday life.
For Hobson, the museum also represents the combination of business leadership, philanthropy and cultural investment. Her role alongside Lucas places her at the center of a project designed to broaden how audiences understand art and its role in society.
As visitors move through more than 30 galleries, the museum offers a wide-ranging look at how humans have used images to explain ideas, preserve memories and share stories.
The opening therefore marks more than the launch of a new building. It introduces a large-scale institution built around the belief that storytelling through images can connect people across cultures and generations.
