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Lucas Museum Opens With Star-Studded Gala Before Public Debut

The privately funded Los Angeles institution aims to redefine visual storytelling and draw wide audiences with a vast, mixed collection and public programs.

Overview

  • Founders George Lucas and Mellody Hobson hosted an invitation-only opening-night gala that drew dozens of A-list celebrities, filmmakers and political figures on Sept. 19–20.
  • The museum opens to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, offering more than 100,000 square feet of exhibition space across 30-plus galleries and two theaters.
  • The collection is drawn largely from the founders’ private holdings of tens of thousands of works and mixes illustration, comics, murals, fine art and cinema artifacts.
  • Star Wars material is a visible but limited part of the holdings, which Mellody Hobson said comprises about 7 percent and is presented in an inaugural 'Star Wars in Motion' exhibition of props, vehicles and concept pieces.
  • Late additions include newly commissioned Banksy murals on an upper floor and the building’s cloud-like design by Ma Yansong with a central oculus; the museum emphasizes local access programs such as free youth admission and a public research library while facing questions about curatorial coherence and recent staffing changes.