George Lucas's Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Faces Criticism Over Admission Fees and Fundraising
Los Angeles grapples with significant disparities, housing over 55 billionaires while 1.35 million residents live in poverty and 45,000 are without homes. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open on September 22 in Exposition Park, faces criticism for its steep admission prices—$25 for adults and memberships ranging from $140 to $600. Founder George Lucas has labeled it 'a temple to the people's art,' yet detractors point out that other affluent museums provide free entry. Situated in a predominantly low-income neighborhood (65% Latino, 24% African American), there are worries about accessibility. Although the museum offers free admission for specific groups and a 'LM37 Pass' for locals, discontent persists from surrounding communities. Designed by Ma Yansong, it boasts a collection that spans 100,000 square feet.
Key facts
- Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opens on 22 September in Exposition Park, Los Angeles.
- Adult admission is $25; annual memberships range from $140 to $600.
- Museum founders: George Lucas and Mellody Hobson.
- Museum designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects; building cost $1 billion.
- Museum located in South Los Angeles, an area with 65% Latino and 24% African American residents.
- Museum offers free admission to visitors 17 and under, active-duty military, and California EBT cardholders.
- LM37 Pass provides free admission to residents of zip code 90037, causing backlash from other South LA zip codes.
- Collection includes works by Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, Judy Baca, Robert Colescott, and Frida Kahlo.
- Art critic Christopher Knight called the museum a 'treacly vanity project'.
- Other museums with free admission: Crystal Bridges, Glenstone, Getty Center and Villa, and The Broad (for permanent collection).
Entities
Artists
- George Lucas
- Mellody Hobson
- Ma Yansong
- Norman Rockwell
- N.C. Wyeth
- Judy Baca
- Robert Colescott
- Frida Kahlo
- Ralph McQuarrie
- Dorothea Lange
- Octavia Butler
- Elon Musk
- Alice Walton
- Mitch Rales
- Emily Wei Rales
- Eli Broad
- Edythe Broad
- Michael Govan
- Christopher Knight
- Matt Stromberg
- Sandra Jackson-Dumont
- Mia Lehrer
Institutions
- Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
- Space X
- Waymo
- Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
- Glenstone
- Getty Center
- Getty Villa
- The Broad
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- MAD Architects
- Studio-MLA
- Hyperallergic
- The Art Newspaper
Locations
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Exposition Park
- South Los Angeles
- South Central
- University of Southern California
- Arkansas
- Maryland
- Nipomo
- California