The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: A Student's Guide to What's Opening Right Next Door
Most USC students have walked or biked past the construction site on Exposition Park's western edge without knowing what was actually being built. The answer: a $1 billion, five story museum designed by Ma Yansong that looks like it landed from another planet. It's called the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, and it opens September 22, 2026, close enough to Tessera that you could walk there faster than you can get to most of your lecture halls.
This guide breaks down what the museum actually is, when it opens, what you'll see inside, how much it costs, and how to get there without a car. If you live near USC, this is the rare case where a global cultural moment is basically happening in your front yard, and it's worth understanding before your friends back home start asking if you've been yet.
Quick Answer: The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, opens September 22, 2026, at One Lucas Plaza in Exposition Park, a short walk from USC and Tessera. General admission is $25 for adults and free for anyone 17 and under. The museum is closed Tuesdays and features a 40,000 plus piece permanent collection, including a dedicated Star Wars in Motion exhibit.
What Is the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Exactly?
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is a nonprofit museum dedicated to the art of storytelling: comics, illustration, photography, film concept art, and more, all under one roof. It's not a Star Wars museum, though Star Wars fans have plenty to be excited about. The building itself spans 300,000 square feet across 11 acres, with a sculptural, curved design from architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects and landscape work by Mia Lehrer.
The museum holds a permanent collection of more than 40,000 works. For its opening run, the inaugural exhibitions will showcase roughly 1,200 objects spread across 35 galleries, covering everything from comic art to children's book illustration to cinematic concept design.
Why the Building Looks Like It Landed From Space
If you've walked or driven past the construction site over the last few years, you've probably noticed the building doesn't look like a typical museum. That's intentional. Architect Ma Yansong describes the design as a floating, cloud-like form meant to blur the line between architecture and landscape, and landscape architect Mia Lehrer designed the surrounding grounds to turn what used to be an asphalt lot into green, walkable public space. The result sits on 11 acres and includes public gardens, event space, and pedestrian paths that connect directly into the rest of Exposition Park, so even students who never buy a ticket will end up walking through part of the campus on their way to a game or a study break at the Rose Garden.
When Does It Open, and What Are the Hours?
Mark the date: September 22, 2026. According to the museum's official visitor information, once it opens, regular hours are:
- Monday: 10 AM to 5 PM
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday and Thursday: 10 AM to 5 PM
- Friday: 10 AM to 9 PM
- Saturday: 9 AM to 9 PM
- Sunday: 9 AM to 5 PM
Last entry is 45 minutes before closing, and the museum closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Friday and Saturday's extended evening hours make it an easy stop after class or before a night out.
Where Is It, and How Do You Get There From Tessera?
The museum's address is One Lucas Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90037, right in Exposition Park alongside the Natural History Museum and the California Science Center. If you're living near campus, you're already close. For a full breakdown of what else sits within walking distance, including the Rose Garden and the Coliseum, check our full Exposition Park neighborhood guide.
You have a few easy options for getting there without needing a car:
- Walk it. Exposition Park is a short walk from most USC-adjacent housing, including Tessera.
- Bike it. Dedicated bike lanes run along Exposition Boulevard.
- Take the Metro E Line. The Expo Park/USC station drops you close to the museum entrance and connects directly to Downtown LA and Santa Monica.
- Ride the DASH F shuttle. This local bus loops through the USC campus area and stops along Exposition Boulevard, making it an easy option if you're coming from farther north on campus.
For the full rundown of routes, bus lines, and walkability scores from Tessera specifically, our guide to commuting from Tessera covers exactly which lines to catch, so you're not figuring it out for the first time on opening weekend.
What Will Actually Be Inside?
This is the part most students want to know. The inaugural exhibitions are curated around a few major themes: comics and illustration, children's storytelling, fantasy worldbuilding, and cinematic art. A few highlights:
- Star Wars in Motion: Original props, costumes, vehicles, and concept art from the franchise's earliest films, including large-scale set pieces.
- A 40,000 plus piece permanent collection, spanning original comic art, movie posters, photography, and illustration from artists across generations.
- Two theaters built for screenings and public programming, reportedly among the most advanced in the city.
Even if Star Wars isn't your thing, the sheer scale of the collection (more than 1,200 objects across 35 galleries for the opening run alone) makes this one of the largest museum openings Los Angeles has seen in years.
How Much Do Tickets Cost?
General admission is $25 for adults, and free for visitors 17 and under. Tickets went on sale in July 2026 ahead of the opening, and given the demand around this project, booking your date online in advance is worth doing rather than showing up and hoping for a walk-in slot.
If you're budget-conscious (and let's be honest, what student isn't), it's worth comparing that ticket price against other Exposition Park institutions. The Natural History Museum, for example, offers free admission to L.A. County residents during specific afternoon hours, so if you're building a museum-hopping day around campus, you can stack a free stop with your Lucas Museum visit.
The museum also offers founding membership tiers for people who want repeat access, insider events, and early entry to new exhibitions. If you know you'll want to visit more than once a semester, it's worth pricing out a membership against buying single tickets each time. Either way, book your date online ahead of time. A billion-dollar museum opening after eight years of construction is going to draw crowds well beyond the USC community, and walk-up availability is not something to count on during opening season.
Why This Actually Matters If You Live Near USC
It's easy to treat a museum opening as background noise when you're juggling classes, but this one is different for a few reasons. First, it permanently changes what "near campus" means. Exposition Park was already home to the Coliseum, the Science Center, and the Natural History Museum. Add a billion-dollar cultural landmark, and the neighborhood becomes a genuine destination, not just a commute corridor.
Second, it's a built-in answer to the question every student eventually asks: what is there actually to do around here that doesn't cost much? We cover more of those low-cost options in our guide to free things to do near USC, and the Lucas Museum slots right into that same "walk out your door and do something" category.
Living somewhere that puts you inside this kind of access matters when you're choosing housing. Tessera residents get amenities like a rooftop sky deck, fire pits, and private study lounges included in rent, all a short walk from a neighborhood that's about to become one of the most talked-about corners of Los Angeles. If you're still weighing your options, our breakdown of the best apartments near USC can help you compare locations before you sign a lease.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art open?
The museum opens to the public on September 22, 2026, in Exposition Park, Los Angeles.
How far is the Lucas Museum from USC and Tessera?
It's located at One Lucas Plaza in Exposition Park, within easy walking distance of USC's University Park Campus and Tessera, in the same cluster as the Natural History Museum and California Science Center.
How much are tickets, and do students get a discount?
General admission is $25 for adults, and free for anyone 17 and under. The museum has not publicized a separate USC student discount as of this writing, so check the official site closer to your visit for updates.
What exhibits will be open when it launches?
The opening lineup includes roughly 1,200 objects across 35 galleries, covering comic art, children's illustration, fantasy worldbuilding, and film concept art, including a dedicated Star Wars in Motion exhibit.
Can I get to the museum without a car?
Yes. It's walkable from most USC-area housing, bikeable along Exposition Boulevard's dedicated lanes, and reachable via the Metro E Line's Expo Park/USC station.
Is the museum open every day?
No. It's closed on Tuesdays, plus Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Friday and Saturday hours run into the evening.
Get Close to All of It
A billion-dollar museum opening within walking distance of your apartment is not something every college student gets to say. Living at Tessera puts you close enough to treat the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art like a regular study break instead of a special occasion, along with everything else Exposition Park has to offer.
Browse our studio to 4-bedroom floor plans or schedule a tour to see what living this close to it all actually looks like.
