For quite some time, the question has been asked, Los Angeles or San Francisco for the home of George Lucas’ $1 billion Museum of Narrative Art? On Tuesday, the board of directors announced their decision to build the museum in Los Angeles.
“After extensive due diligence and deliberation, the Board of Directors of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is pleased to announce plans to build the museum in Exposition Park in Los Angeles. We have been humbled by the overwhelmingly positive support we received from both San Francisco and Los Angeles during our selection process. Settling on a location proved to be an extremely difficult decision precisely because of the desirability of both sites and cities.
“While each location offers many unique and wonderful attributes, South Los Angeles’s Promise Zone best positions the museum to have the greatest impact on the broader community, fulfilling our goal of inspiring, engaging and educating a broad and diverse visitorship. Exposition Park is a magnet for the region and accessible from all parts of the city. As a museum uniquely focused on narrative art, we look forward to becoming part of a dynamic museum community, surrounded by more than 100 elementary and high schools, one of the country’s leading universities as well as three other world-class museums.”
Once you step inside the Museum, you’ll feel that you’ve been transported to another world filled with stories for exploration. Both futuristic and timeless, the Museum will feature experiences that enhance your visit, designed to be your guide on your journey through the collection. Visitors from around the world will enjoy the many amenities at the Lucas Museum. The museum will include a fine dining restaurant, cinematic theaters, museum store and much more.
Building the new museum in Exposition Park will add another feature to the already growing area that currently houses the California Science Center, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California African American Museum. Plus, the area is easily accessible by Metro’s Expo Line, thus reducing overall vehicle traffic in the coming years.
Museum Details
- The site of the new museum will be in Exposition Park (currently parking lots 2 and 3)
- A new underground parking garage will be build to house approximately 1,800 vehicles
- The project is estimated to add 6-7 acres of green space and the building will be approximately 275,000 sf
- The Design Architect is Ma Yansong of MAD Architects in Beijing, China
- Ground breaking is expected by the end of the year and the museum grand opening is planned for 2021
For more details, visit the Lucas Museum.
