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The Miami Art Journal

The Artists

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Opens to Press in Los Angeles

Mixed reviews emerge for the new institution designed by MAD Architects

The Editors ·

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Opens to Press in Los Angeles

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, held a press preview earlier this month that generated a sharply divided response. The museum is scheduled to welcome general visitors on September 22. The institution was founded by George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, and is housed in a billion-dollar facility spanning 300,000 square feet.

The building’s architecture was designed by the Beijing-based firm MAD Architects. The museum’s history includes significant delays and changes in location. Initial plans to construct the institution in San Francisco were abandoned, followed by subsequent plans for Chicago. These earlier iterations were scrapped before the project moved to its current site in Los Angeles. The long-awaited opening has been closely watched by observers in the art world.

Inside the museum, the 100,000 square feet of gallery space houses the private collection of Lucas and Hobson. The curatorial approach intends to highlight storytelling within art. This thematic focus results in a juxtaposition of diverse artistic traditions. The collection presents the work of comic book artists, including John Romita Sr. and R. Crumb. It also displays the work of illustrators such as Maxfield Parrish and Norman Rockwell.

Fantasy painters Boris Vallejo and Frank Frazetta are featured alongside historical masterworks. The exhibition includes pieces by Artemisia Gentileschi, Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Pieter Brueghel the Younger. Additionally, the collection contains works by Mary Cassatt, Frida Kahlo, and John Singer Sargent. This arrangement places contemporary and commercial visual narratives alongside canonical European and American art.

The press preview revealed opinions that were not uniform. The resulting commentary on the opening was described as sharply divided. The institution has drawn attention regarding its admission prices, with some reports noting criticism over the cost of entry. The museum’s structure and programming reflect the specific vision of its founders, aiming to bridge gaps between different categories of visual culture.

The facility stands as a significant new addition to the cultural infrastructure of Los Angeles. Its size and the scope of its collection, derived from the personal holdings of its founders, mark it as a major private institution. The mixed nature of the initial press response suggests that the public reception may vary based on individual expectations regarding the integration of narrative art with traditional fine art. The museum remains open to the public starting in late September.

Takeaway: The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opens to the public on September 22, 2026.

Source: Artforum