The Associated Press has delivered an extensive inside look at the upcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art ahead of its official public opening in Los Angeles. Spanning an 11-acre campus in Exposition Park, the long-awaited institution represents a major emotional milestone for founder George Lucas, who reflected on the years of dedication required to honor illustrators and the enduring power of visual storytelling. Discussing the massive undertaking, Lucas remarked, “I’m used to doing the impossible,” noting that combining powerful pictures and stories helps “create a society“.

Emphasizing the foundational role of art in shaping culture, Lucas highlighted how imagery and myths combine to bring stories to life. While the museum features a dedicated opening exhibition highlighting the franchise, leadership notes that Star Wars occupies only about 7% of the expansive facility, making room for a vast collection spanning more than 30 galleries of classical illustration, comics, and cinematic history. Furthermore, the museum has prioritized community outreach, introducing the LM37 neighborhood pass program to offer free ongoing admission for local residents.

The new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will serve “Star Wars” fans what they crave, but the saga George Lucas spawned represents just one small corner of the galaxy of creative work within the walls of the Los Angeles institution he calls a “temple to the people’s art.”

The purpose of the palace that has become his life’s work since he sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012 is to take the work of populist painters, commercial illustrators, comic artists and paperback cover-creators and treat it with a reverence normally reserved for Rembrandts. The building opens to the public Sept. 22.