During the 2025 edition of San Diego Comic-Con, one of the most anticipated moments was not about a new series or movie, but the presentation of a museum that already promises to become a cultural icon: the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. This ambitious project, spearheaded by legendary filmmaker George Lucas, captured the attention of thousands of attendees with its transformative vision of the power of visual storytelling.
A journey to the heart of the imagination
In a panel titled “Sneak Peek of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art”, the creator of Star Wars offered a preview of the museum that will open its doors in 2026 in Exposition Park, Los Angeles. With holograms, immersive experiences, and cutting-edge technology, attendees were able to virtually explore the venue that will house more than 100,000 pieces ranging from character sketches to original artifacts from his most iconic films.
However, the real star was the concept behind the museum: to pay tribute to the art of storytelling through images. Lucas described it as a “temple to popular art,” a way to vindicate disciplines such as illustration, comics, animation, and storyboarding, which are often relegated within the world of traditional art.
Beyond Star Wars
Although there will be an area dedicated exclusively to the Star Wars universe, the focus will be museum-like, not thematic. Objects such as the first designs of Yoda, models of the Millennium Falcon, and personal letters between Lucas and other film greats such as Akira Kurosawa and Steven Spielberg will be on display. But the museum also goes far beyond the Lucasfilm legacy.
The collection will include works by artists such as Frida Kahlo, Norman Rockwell, and Robert Crumb, as well as art from diverse cultures: Japanese ukiyo-e, pre-Columbian art, medieval stained glass, Vietnamese propaganda, and Peruvian altarpieces. All under a curatorship that seeks to show how images have told stories throughout different eras and civilizations.
An educational and visionary project
In addition to being a space for contemplation, the museum will have a very clear educational focus. It will include augmented reality rooms, creative workshops with guest artists, interactive script stations, and a narrative laboratory where new projects will be incubated. It will also feature a digital art gallery that will rotate every quarter, exhibiting everything from NFTs to illustrations generated with artificial intelligence.
Lucas made it clear that his intention is not only to exhibit, but also to train and motivate new generations of visual storytellers. To this end, the museum will offer scholarships to students of film, animation, and illustration, especially those from historically underrepresented communities.
A legacy beyond cinema
At 81, Lucas surprised the audience with his first appearance at Comic-Con, accompanied by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. Together, they reflected on how visual storytelling—such as comics and animation—has been unfairly underestimated. Del Toro summed it up with a powerful metaphor: “Can you imagine a world with only classical music and no rock? This is the rock ‘n’ roll of art, and it deserves to be celebrated.“
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will not be just another museum, but an unprecedented space that connects the classic with the contemporary, the global with the personal, and the fantastic with the deeply human. A beacon for those who believe that stories not only entertain, but build cultures.
And as Lucas himself said: “We create stories to understand the world, to feel accompanied, to not be afraid. This museum is a place where all those stories can live and continue to inspire.”