The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
My wife and I first got wind of the creation of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art a little over ten years ago, when it was rumored to be built in Chicago or even George Lucas’ hometown of Modesto, California. From the concept art, this graceful, futuristic-looking venue looked exactly like the kind of architecture my generation used to imagine would be commonplace in the 21st century. With a combination of eco-friendly greenery on its roofs and surrounding parklands, it feels more like the future site of Starfleet Headquarters or Star Wars’ Galactic Senate than a world-class art museum. When the museum’s site was changed to Los Angeles, my wife and I decided to get memberships. Officially opening to the public on September 22nd, the museum offered a recent membership preview (with two guest passes) over the three-day Labor Day weekend.
The windows on the bottom floor of this UFO-looking gallery wing belong to to the museum’s library. The lawn hosts several Star Wars and other inspirational statues, which I’ll get into soon. The larger, ovoid window above it is an observation deck, which offers a great view of the Los Angeles skyline–including the Hollywood sign.
L.A isn’t too terribly far from us (about an hour and change, if the traffic gods smile on you), so we scheduled our visit, with our two guests, for Monday, September 7th; after the museum worked out some bugs with its fire alarm system, which caused a brief guest evacuation the previous Saturday. Upon arrival, we were directed to park in an underground parking garage, which wasn’t well lit or clearly signed. This caused some confusion, but we eventually found a spot. Also confusing was the location of the museum’s main entrance. A security guard mistakenly directed us into the park outside the museum’s library. For future reference? The main entrance is located off the sidewalk under a large atrium right between the two main wings of the museum. Once you see it, you’ll never miss it.
The Tour
For this ‘virtual tour’, I’ll will caption each of the photos with notes as needed; as I do with my deep-dives of movies and TV shows. However, what I’m conveying here is only a small fraction of what’s available to see in this immense treasure trove of artwork–of which Star Wars artifacts make up a relatively small portion. This isn’t a Star Wars museum. This is a $1 billion world-class art museum on a par with New York’s Museum of Modern Art, or L.A’s own Getty Center. The underlying theme of this museum is narrative, with each piece telling a specific story or story element. With that, let’s begin…
Note: There was also a statue of Padme fighting an arena beast from “Attack of the Clones” (2002), as well as a statue of Yoda with Grogu. Other non-Star Wars statues include World War 2 feminist icon “Rosie the Riveter” as well as “Maternity” (Fernando Botero), classical “David After Combat,” revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, and a monument to stop-motion animation pioneer Willis O’Brien (“King Kong”). All 164 of my photos from the museum are linked at the bottom of this column.
Note: Part of our initial confusion was that we were misdirected by one of the security guards, and the main entrance from the sidewalk was partially blocked from the sidewalk view by construction hoarding panels. The panels are a temporary issue, of course, since officially the museum has not yet opened to the public.
Note: The elevator cars had their own controls, of course, but for this weekend at least, they were operated by guides. The lobby looks like architecture from the 1936 film “Things to Come” based on the book by H.G. Wells. This is one of the few modern buildings I’ve seen that really looks like it belongs in the 21st century my generation was promised when we were kids. My friend’s son put it best when he said “It looks like Cloud City.“
Note: While I’m not the biggest fan of the Star Wars prequels, I greater admire their production design by Gavin Bocquet and concept artist Doug Chiang. The N-1 starfighter is a prime example of the prequel era’s more refined, art deco look; like pre-World War 2 Paris, London, or New York City. After the fall of the Old Republic, it made production design sense that this universe under Palpatine’s Empire fell into disrepair, with retro-fitted technology glued together for a function-over-form aesthetic.
Note: There were books on artwork, movies, photography, comics, history, space, different cultures, you name it. I even saw a near-mint copy of Timothy Ferris’ “Galaxies” (1982), a largely outdated, pre-Hubble telescope coffee table book that I still have a copy of from my high school days (missing its dust jacket, of course). The design of the library looks somewhat similar to photos I’ve seen of the library at the Skywalker Ranch campus, with its old-style wood finishings and multiple levels.
There are at least–as of this writing–35 separate galleries in the Lucas Museum, which are tied together with themes of human experience; love, family, community, play, work, adventure and, of course, cinema. All of these galleries are amazing, and I particularly enjoyed the gallery on sci-fi art. The uppermost level below the rooftop park spaces is devoted to murals, with original commissioned pieces by the legendary, anonymous street artist/political activist Banksy, who had an exclusive row of pieces in that section.
Note: Some of the pieces featured in the sci-fi art gallery included works by Vincent Di Fate, Boris Vallejo, Robert McCall (1919-2010), Frank Frazetta (1928-2010) and many others. I saw book covers from my childhood framed, as well as magazines I used to subscribe to, as well.
Note: I imagine this concept might’ve been rejected for its similarity to the Eagle transporter from “Space: 1999” (1975-1977), or perhaps the Tantive IV from “Star Wars” (1977). Personally, I liked McCall’s version a lot more than the generic, rounded capsule-design of the Palomino seen in the final film.
Note: You can always tell authentic screen-used props or costumes by their crudity and imperfections. Fan replicas are usually made with fewer time constraints (and newer technology), and, as a result, they often look too ‘perfect’ for a quick, single-use job, as you’d see in a film production.
Note: Save for two animatronic models used in closeups, the aliens of that film were played by young girls from a local dance studio near the film’s Mobile, Alabama location. The alien costumes of Steven Spielberg’s UFO opus are laughably bad when placed under the harsh lighting of an exhibit case, but under heavy backlighting with lots of smoke and a lush John Williams score, the illusion is a lot more convincing. Given the longtime friendship between Lucas and Spielberg, I’m not surprised to see Spielberg’s alien in this venue.
I was struck by the haunting, swollen face of the exploited young man as his indifferent promoter grins to the crowd.
Barnes was a former NFL football player whose art became his full-time passion. His painting “Sugar Shack” became famous as the artwork seen in the TV sitcom “Good Times” (1974-1979).
Note: There were many striking pieces of African-American themed art, along with many other cultures and perspectives throughout the museum. This was a pleasant surprise, given how cultural diversity has been viciously curtailed by the current administration of the United States government. Thank goodness this museum is privately funded by George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, a very successful businesswoman in her own right. Hobson, CEO of Ariel Investments and a former chairman of Dreamworks, became the first African-American woman to chair an S&P 500 company (Starbuck’s) in 2021.
Around the corner from the cinema gallery was, of course, a section devoted entirely to Star Wars; the ongoing space saga that made writer/director George Lucas a household name. While the Star Wars section is not as vast as some of the museum’s publicity suggests, there were a number of screen-used pieces from the original trilogy (1977-1983) and the prequel trilogy (1999-2005) on display. Save for a Grogu statue outside the museum, there are no pieces from the Disney-made Star Wars sequels, standalone movies, or Disney+ streaming series, since those were made after the sale of Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012.
Screen-used costumes of R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) displayed in front of original production artwork of the stranded droids on Tatooine, as painted by Ralph McQuarrie (1929-2012).
Note: Judging by imperfections in R2-D2’s paint job, as well as the dent in C-3PO’s head and his silver leg, I’m guessing these costumes were from the original 1977 film, later subtitled “Episode IV: A New Hope” for the film’s 1981 rerelease. I still call it “Star Wars.”
A mannequin of Anakin (say that ten times fast) rides in his full-scale pod racer built for “The Phantom Menace” (1999).
Note: The pods were displayed in front of a motion-blurred panorama of the Tatooine landscape, which gives each photo taken of it an illusion of speed. Speed is a recurring element of George Lucas’ films; the robot police chase at the climax of “THX-1138” (1971), the drag race of “American Graffiti” (1973), Luke’s landspeeder in “Star Wars” (1977) and the pod-races of “The Phantom Menace” (1999). It’s clear young George Lucas aspired to be a race car driver, until a near-fatal car crash in his senior year of high school reshaped his life and ambitions.
A recreation of the speeder chase through the skyscrapers of Coruscant, from “Attack of the Clones” (2002). Lifelike mannequins of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and shapeshifter-assassin Zam Wesell (Leanna Walkman) appear in the cockpits of these screen-used speeders.
A mannequin of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) stands by his trusty landspeeder; the original screen-used vehicle seen in the original “Star Wars” (1977).
Note: I’ve seen many recreations of Luke’s landspeeder at various fan events, like the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, but it gave me real goosebumps to see the genuine article. I still remember the old Kenner toy landspeeder I had as a kid in 1978, and I still keep a tiny die-cast metal landspeeder on my home office desk.
A screen-used miniature of the Jawa sandcrawler from “Star Wars” (1977).
About the size of an ottoman, this model appeared so massive onscreen with the right lenses and sound effects.
A mannequin of Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) in her screen-used costume from “Star Wars” (1977), posing in front of a miniature Cloud Car and Ralph McQuarrie’s production painting of Cloud City from “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980).
Note: It’s amazing that this costume–which saw a lot of onscreen action–is still viable for display. My compliments to the care given to these pieces from the museum’s curators.
Another piece that took my breath away; the actual screen-used miniature of Han Solo’s famed starship, the Millennium Falcon.
Note: I would’ve preferred if they’d placed the Falcon’s more interesting cockpit side closer to the glass; just a personal nitpick. All the same, it was great to see this legendary miniature (whose shape was inspired by a hamburger) up close. Makes me sad that beautifully detailed, hand-crafted miniatures like these are nearly a lost art in the age of computer-generated imagery and AI.
A screen-used miniature of a tripped Imperial AT-AT walker from “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980).
Note: If you look carefully, you can see the miniature tow cables around the legs of the fallen walker. The exhibitors used foam to recreate the snow of Hoth.
Leia and (a painted) Luke are pursued on their stolen speeder bikes by an Imperial scout, from “Return of the Jedi” (1983).
Note: Once again, the figures of Leia and the Scout on their screen-used speeder bikes and costumes are given the illusion of speed by motion-blurred production artwork by the late Ralph McQuarrie, whose detailed illustrations very closely matched the movie’s finished props.
A screen-used costume of Darth Maul (Ray Park) from “The Phantom Menace,” alongside a recreation of General Grievous (Matthew Wood) and his wheel-bike from “Revenge of the Sith.”
Note: Unlike most of the screen-used props seen in the Star Wars section, General Grievous and his complex wheel-bike were computer-generated for the movie, and had to be created for this display.
Screen-used costume of Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) and Anakin’s speeder bike from “Attack of the Clones” (2002).
Note: This photo doesn’t do justice to the lifelike mannequin of Samuel L. Jackson. It was uncanny in person. Like all the mannequins in this museum, great care was taken to match the faces with their subjects.
Note: Loved the curved, futuristic architecture. From an aerial view (column cover image), the museum vaguely resembles the starship Orville from the same-name TV series (2017-2022).
Note: There was a section dedicated to the works of Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), with multiple Rockwell Americana paintings as well as his covers from “The Saturday Evening Post” magazine. There was also a life-sized bronze statue of Rockwell painting his famous self-portrait. This is in keeping with the museum’s theme of narrative, since each of Rockwell’s paintings told quick, vivid stories.
Note: This was another piece that left me awestruck. I’ve loved this 87-year old film for as long as I can remember from annual TV screenings as a little boy. To see the actual hand-crafted lion suit (made from real pelts) in person gave me almost the same feeling as seeing van Gogh’s “Starry Night” in person at the Museum of Modern Art ten years ago. Up close, the tiny claws varied in color, and I honestly wondered if they might’ve been real claws…
Note: Yes, there’s a Warhol in this museum. My friend Kathy’s teenaged son Joshua didn’t know who “Howdy Doody” was until I mentioned “Back to the Future Part 3,” when Doc Brown wakes up to “The Howdy Doody Show.” He loves the “Back to the Future” trilogy, so that was his reference point.
Note: Banksy is the pseudonymous London street artist/activist whose works are abundant with raw talent, passion and commentary. There have been speculations about his true identity, but they’re as yet unconfirmed.
Before heading back for home, my wife and I stopped for some desperately needed coffee at a Starbuck’s in the lobby. Makes sense, since the museum’s cofounder Mellody Hobson was a onetime chairperson for Starbuck’s. She stepped down in 2024.
That ends this very abbreviated tour of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. This is an impressive, exhaustive archive of human storytelling in so many forms across so many cultures. Star Wars may be the lure that gets people through the doors, but once inside, I hope they will avail themselves to all this treasure trove of the arts has to offer.
If anyone is interested, all 164 of my Lucas Museum photos are in this link. I plan to return to the Lucas Museum at least one or two more times this year, so, if anyone is interested in a follow-up of this subject, let me know, and I’ll be glad to indulge.
To plan a visit, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is located at One Lucas Plaza, Los Angeles 90037 at Exposition Park in South Los Angeles. Children 17 and under are admitted for free. $25 for adults aged 18-64, and $21 for seniors aged 65 and up. Memberships range from $140-$600, depending on membership tier. Buy tickets and book your trip online via lucasmuseum.org.
