The George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is one step closer to being built, having been given the green light by Los Angeles City Council.
Originally intended for San Francisco or Chicago, the LA location is now viewed as ideal given its proximity to 100 schools which fits well with the museum’s educational mission.
The museum is being gifted to the city of Los Angeles, and will come with an endowment of at least $400 million.
Lucas presented his vision for the museum at a council meeting attended by LA’s Mayor, Eric Garcetti. Lucas stressed the importance of the visual arts, including filmmaking, in shaping history, perception and myth.
After the meeting, he told reporters: “The goal of the museum is to inspire people to think outside the box, to imagine whatever you want to imagine, to help build on the myths that help bind our city and our people together, and that is what I am hoping to do here.”
The museum will be sited near the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Natural History Museum, and a museum of African-American history and art. Offering 300,000 square feet of floor space, it will include a cafe and restaurant, theatres, lecture halls, classrooms and exhibition space.
The Lucas collection is believed to comprise around 10,000 paintings, illustrations and other items, and features works by Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, Thomas Hart Benton, among others.
Exhibits likely to attract Star Wars fans include Luke Skywalker’s first light saber and Darth Vader’s helmet.
The building has been designed by Chinese architect, Ma Yansong, and will occupy a seven acre site.
Images courtesy Lucas Museum
https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/george-lucas-museum-of-narrative-art-los-angeles-approval-1202479463/
