George Lucas’s $1 Billion ‘Star Wars’ Art Museum Begins Construction

Star Wars has become a cultural phenomenon, spanning not only films, but television shows, merchandise, video games and much, much more. And thanks to the multimedia franchise’s success, its creator, George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson, are funding a museum.

GEORGE LUCAS & MELLODY HOBSON FINANCE ART MUSEUM, CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

On March 14, the Lucases took their shovels and marked the beginning of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Exposition Park’s construction. Mayor Eric Garcetti and film director Steven Spielberg also attended the opening ceremony. Lucas’s museum is located in Los Angeles, and it is expected to finish construction in 2021.

Lucas and his wife funded the museum by donating over $1 billion, and he said he hopes it will be an inviting place. The non-profit museum will house Lucas’s art collection, which will be spread throughout the building’s five levels, with 125,000 square feet of 300,000 being dedicated to Lucas’s diverse collection. Furthermore, the building, which was designed by architect Ma Yonsong, will also celebrate photography and cinema (including but not limited to the Star Wars saga), amongst other art forms, and its lineup will be added on to over time.

Other facets that will compose the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Exposition Park include cafeterias, a library, editing classrooms and two high-tech movie theaters. Additionally, given how over 100 schools are nestled in the area, educational outreach programs are slated, and local businesses are planned to be contacted regarding the facility’s construction and operations. Finally, Lucas’s museum is expected to create 1,500 construction-related jobs and 350 permanent occupations once it is finished.