Los Angeles Approves Plans For George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
Now when George Lucas claims, "It belongs in a museum!" he'll have a place to put that valuable item from cinema's growing history.
After years of trying to find the right spot to build the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, it seems George Lucas didn't have to stray far from his roots after all. This week, the Los Angeles City Council approved the $1.2 billion project, which will break ground in 2018 just down the street from Lucas's alma mater, the University of Southern California.
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the museum is expected to open sometime in 2021, and will feature a collection of art from the collection of Lucas himself. Lucas's collection includes pieces from Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth and R. Crumb, as well as concept art from his own films like Star Wars, Indiana Jones and American Graffiti. The museum won't just be a shrine to the works of George Lucas however, and will include concept art and works from others in the field of the narrative arts. In addition to more than 20,000 pieces of art and film artifacts, Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, will put up a $400 million museum endowment, and pay for all the construction.
Originally, Lucas sought to build the museum in Chicago and San Francisco, but it certainly appears going home again was the right choice for the USC alum. Concept designs for the museum show it being built in the same neighborhood as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and reveal a very futuristic take on architecture. The building itself looks like a starship landed in the middle of USC property, and includes some eco-friendly aspects like a small park on the roof.
All told, the building will come in at 275,000 square feet on top of 11 acres of garden space. The Lucas Museum will stand above the ground on two legs, thus keeping most of the acreage in tact, and hopefully leaving a minimal footprint on what little ecology remains in that part of Los Angeles.
Since they haven't broken ground yet, there's no concrete opening date, but you can be rest assured many a fan will make a pilgrimage to the site in 2021. Based on the popularity of other openings curated by Lucas, there are probably a few folks lining up in tents now to be first in line.
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