7 of the best attractions at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, from Star Wars to Banksy

George Lucas and Mellody Hobson want their massive spaceship of a museum to be an experience. Across 300,000 sq ft (27,000 sq metres) and 11 acres (4.5 hectares) of park space, there is a lot to take in. Staring up at the 90-foot (27.4 metre) oculus four storeys above the entrance plaza makes one feel like a speck in the galaxy. Instead of trying to conquer everything at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on the first visit – there are more than 1,300 works – maybe focus on some of the highlights below. You are guaranteed a good time if you aim to simply walk around the striking building, designed by Chinese architect Ma Yansong and his firm MAD, and view a mishmash of masterpieces, children’s illustrations, Star Wars-heavy movie memorabilia and comic strips. Whoosh up in the glass-tube lifts to the massive fourth floor to begin. It is best to explore the bulk of the galleries when your tank is full. Then head up a floor to see the murals. Take a break at the rooftop Skywalker Grill before heading to the library and grounds. Skip the first floor’s “History of Narrative Art”. The exhibition is mostly screens, projections and reproductions, with a handful of great works from the 16th and 17th centuries, and feels superficial at times. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opens today (September 22). Prepare to get your steps in and feel a little turned around. Admission is US$25 for adults, free for children. Here are the highlights. 1. Get your Star Wars on Tracey Bates, the museum’s chief executive, says Star Wars comprises only 7 per cent of the museum’s inaugural exhibitions, but there is still plenty for fans – even casual ones – to sink their teeth into. In the Slavko Vorkapich Theatre on the first floor you can watch parts of an unreleased animated comedy series called Star Wars Detours, which was created by Lucas as a parody of the franchise in the early 2010s but never aired. In the “Star Wars in Motion” exhibition on the fourth floor, you can stand before Luke’s landspeeder from the 1977 original film. The unassuming lozenge-shaped vehicle stands ready to conjure reverence in anyone who holds childhood memories of that film dear. For sheer spectacle, behold the first physical build of General Grievous’ Wheel Bike, an invention previously only realised in CGI but built specifically for the museum at Lucas’ request. 2. Gaze at a remarkable self-portrait of Frida Kahlo After the Lucas Museum acquired a 1940 work by Frida Kahlo titled Self Portrait Dedicated to Dr. Eloesser, then-museum director Sandra Jackson-Dumont called it the “Mona Lisa of Mexico”. It is easy to see why Jackson-Dumont was excited. Kahlo painted dozens of self-portraits, many relating to the excruciating physical pain she continued to suffer as a result of a childhood accident. This one is different. Besides a necklace of thorns, which draws small drops of blood, Kahlo appears to be more focused on the relief of healing. The painting is dedicated to the Bay Area doctor that Kahlo was seeing to treat her ongoing pain, with a small banner at the base of the picture painted with the words (in Spanish, but translated here): “To Dr Leo Eloesser, my doctor and my best friend. With all my love. Frida Kahlo.” The silver hand-shaped earrings Kahlo wears in the portrait were a gift from Pablo Picasso. 3. See rare and exciting comics Lucas is an unabashed comic fan, and his love shows in his extensive collection, highlighted in the large comics and graphic stories galleries. The crowning glory of the collection is arguably the first Flash Gordon comic strip. There is also an original splash page from Black Panther as well as original Peanuts strips from the 1950s and 60s. But fans of vintage comics of all kinds will be happily satiated with panels from Alley-Oop, Garfield, Tarzan and Prince Valiant. Here, as in all the other galleries, looking closely is key to finding hidden treasures. There is a stacked manga gallery for fans of that genre too. 4. Banksy was here After getting married, Lucas gifted Hobson a Banksy, concrete wall and all, to sit across from a prehistoric turtle he got her while they were dating. They had to reinforce the floor of their Chicago flat to support the pair’s weight. Lucas also invited Banksy to the museum to remake some well-known works, including Girl with a Balloon, Bates says. Banksy’s stencil works are with the murals on the fifth floor. Black paint spots stain the wood floor below one piece known as Crayon House. “George and Banksy had a real meeting of the minds,” Bates says. 5. Reserve now for November at Skywalker Grill View this post on Instagram Getting a coveted table at the luxe restaurant – which is small relative to the size of the museum – requires a reservation. As of writing, the next reservation for two is not available until late November. Still, it is worth putting this treat on your calendar if you are planning a trip to the Lucas. The room is lovely, with mid-century modern touches including curved cherry wood walls, illuminated white onyx Corian surfaces and low lighting. It also has a full bar and an outdoor patio with sail blinds and stunning views of the Los Angeles skyline. There is no marquee chef attached, but it is operated by the team that runs a variety of posh venues inside London’s Royal Albert Hall. The food is described as classic American cuisine made with California-sourced ingredients, and it is open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch with hours that extend past the museum’s closing time – showing that it hopes to become a dining destination in its own right. 6. Browse the stacks The museum’s library is open to visitors without a ticket and is all dressed up in dark wood, with cosy lighting and plenty of comfortable chairs and tables. A wall of windows looks out onto the lush main lawn, providing both a quiet place to read and a perfect perch for people-watching. It is not a lending library, but you can enjoy the more than 3,000 art books on site. As an added treat, the third and top floor of shelving contains a variety of art books donated by actor and avid art collector Steve Martin (the public can only access the first floor). On your way out, be sure to leave books on the bright orange carts featuring signs of Yoda imploring guests to follow the golden rule: “Reshelve, do not. Leave books here, you must!” 7. Stroll the grounds Take a good book or your selfie stick on a stroll of the museum’s stunning garden campus designed by Mia Lehrer and her LA firm Studio-MLA. Featuring various zones of native vegetation alongside bougainvillea and jacarandas, the park is dotted with generous public seating and has an amphitheatre for outdoor events or general lounging. A tranquil hanging garden and rolling green hills are mirrored with dreamlike precision on the museum’s curved roof. There is also a smattering of sculptures, including a joyful mother and child by Fernando Botero, and a series of full-scale creations featuring some of Star Wars’ most beloved characters. You will find Yoda standing with Baby Yoda just behind him towards the back of the park, while a giant bronze in the ample grass lawn below the museum shows Princess Leia choking Jabba the Hutt with her chains – an iconic scene from Return of the Jedi. For a quiet moment of reflection, head to the north edge of the museum, where you will find a large waterfall dubbed “The Rain,” which doubles as a cooling mechanism for the building and attracts plenty of seagulls.

7 of the best attractions at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, from Star Wars to Banksy

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Seeing everything at George Lucas and Mellody Hobson’s huge new Los Angeles museum in one day is a tough ask, so here are some highlights

Seeing everything at George Lucas and Mellody Hobson’s huge new Los Angeles museum in one day is a tough ask, so here are some highlights