LA Weekly takes a look at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, due to open in 2022 and set to be a home to a dazzling array of modern art pieces. Don Bacigalupi, the founding president of the LMNA, explains why this project is so special.
“The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art’s collection is at the beginning of its story. Mr. Lucas’ vast collection provides the seed from which the museum’s collection will grow for many years to come. The collection features works of art in many mediums that tell stories from many times, places and cultures. In the museum’s galleries, visitors can enjoy everything from Norman Rockwell’s classic and nostalgic illustrations to the most advanced works of contemporary digital animation.”
Chosen as the home city over the clear favourite of San Francisco, Bacigalupi goes on to explain why LA was such a good choice.
“Settling on a location proved to be an extremely difficult decision precisely because of the desirability of both sites and cities. South Los Angeles’ Promise Zone best positions the museum to have the greatest impact on the broader community, fulfilling our goal of inspiring, engaging and educating a broad and diverse visitorship.”
While the allure of Hollywood, and LA being the place where Lucas learned his craft were clearly influential factors in the decision to chose LA as the home for the LMNA, the opportunity to have a positive influence on the local community also seemed to be a determining factor.
“The museum will be an integral part of the fabric of the community, offering educational programming for all ages, inspirational art and exhibitions, and many public programs that will be accessible to the community. [It] will feature public lectures and classes for all ages, hands-on workshops, after-school programs and camps for students, and a wide variety of additional educational opportunities. [It] will also feature two state-of-the art cinema theaters, an education center with hands-on and digital classrooms, a public research library, a casual cafe and restaurant, and a museum store.”
Yes, there’s a gift shop!
