City officials approve George Lucas’ $1.5B Museum of Narrative Art

Project at Exposition Park expected to break ground this year

Rendering of Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Mellody Hobson and George Lucas (Lucas Museum of Narrative Art/Getty Images)
Rendering of Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Mellody Hobson and George Lucas (Lucas Museum of Narrative Art/Getty Images)

The Force is with the Los Angeles City Council. George Lucas’s $1.5 billion proposed Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Exposition Park was approved by the legislative body on Tuesday.

Designs call for a five-story, 300,000-square-foot building that would focus on artwork with storytelling elements, including works dating back to before movies and film.

The focus of the museum will be on artwork with storytelling elements and showcase paintings, illustrations and movie memorabilia, the Press-Telegram reported.

It will house archives from Lucas’ filmmaking career, including early concept and storyboard drawings and costume designs. It will also feature materials from other movies including “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Ten Commandments” and “Casablanca.”

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The spaceship-like museum will be designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects, and will be part of an 11-acre site that includes a garden area and public park.

Other amenities include theaters, educational labs and classrooms, a public research library, a café and restaurant and a museum store. Parking will be underground and include about 2,400 spaces.

Lucas initially considered bringing the $1.5 billion project to either San Francisco or Chicago. San Francisco is Lucas’ hometown and Chicago is the hometown of his wife, Mellody Hobson. But Mayor Eric Garcetti and others lobbied the filmmaker to bring the museum to Los Angeles.

The project is expected to break ground at the end of this year, with construction beginning early 2018. It is slated for completion in 2021. [PT] — Subrina Hudson