Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Opens Its Doors in Los Angeles

George Lucas made a surprise appearance at a media preview of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles on Wednesday, offering a first look at an institution he describes as a "temple to the people's art."

The museum, which opens to the public on September 22, is dedicated to elevating the work of illustrators, comic artists, and commercial painters to the same level of reverence traditionally reserved for classical masters. While the Star Wars saga will naturally draw crowds, it represents only a small portion of the museum's broader collection.

Lucas, now 82, was joined by his wife Mellody Hobson, who serves as co-founder of the museum. The project has been a central focus for the filmmaker since he sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012.

"I'm used to doing the impossible," Lucas said at the event. "The great people that we've assembled to do this has been a big advantage. This is a big celebration for us because it's taken so long to get here, but it's something that I felt very, very strongly about in terms of honoring illustrators."

The museum's mission centers on artists who bring written stories to life, particularly mythological narratives. "They're not real, but the illustrations make them real," Lucas explained. "The picture is very powerful, and the stories are very powerful, and you combine them together, and those two elements create a society."

The preview offered journalists a glimpse of the museum's exterior, exhibits, and library, showcasing the breadth of narrative art the institution aims to preserve and celebrate.