After two cancellations, I was so happy to finally make it to the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art last month! As I’m sure you’ve probably already heard, it’s a gorgeous museum. It’s calming, pristine, and spacious, which makes it incredibly inviting and enjoyable. While it's not a Star Wars museum, there is a huge space dedicated to the franchise, and I quickly realized that a lot of the architectural choices reminded me of Attack of the Clones. I often felt like I was exploring George Lucas's mind, and that was such a cool feeling.
I am excited to share in detail with you what my day at the museum was like, along with many photos. I won't be sharing every single Star Wars piece on display at the museum, but there are plenty of photos to look through!
We parked in the Orange garage under the museum. It was just before 10:00 a.m. on a Wednesday, and over 800 parking spaces were still available. We left at 1:30 p.m., and while the parking garage was much fuller, guests were still driving in. Parking costs $20 before 5:00 p.m. or $24 if you enter after 5:00 p.m. For more parking information, click here.
During the week, except for Tuesdays because the museum is closed, the Lucas Museum opens at 10:00 a.m. I got my husband and I a reservation for 10:30 a.m. We arrived about forty minutes early and planned to visit the gardens (you do not need to pay for admission to enjoy this area or the library) since they open two hours before, but a kind employee let us know reservation times allow you to enter one hour early. We went ahead and checked in!
When we finally got inside, I checked my jacket and umbrella at no cost, which I think is a fantastic service. They'll accept only coats and small personal items, but it helps so much if you don't want to be carrying extra items. You'll find it to the left of the main lobby between the shop and restrooms. You can read more about visitor guidelines here.
The staff were wonderful and available throughout the museum to guide you, answer questions, or even help you take a photo. They were as kind as you'd expect George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, to be if you haven't met them like myself. I sure hope one day I get to!
There’s a map to help you navigate to your destination, which you'll find in the main lobby, along with a program listing every showing featured in both theaters. I can't wait to watch the Star Wars Detours episodes! I thought they'd never be released!
The Star Wars display is in the Cinema exhibit on the fourth floor. I was instantly teary-eyed when I turned a corner to see C-3PO and R2-D2 displayed next to a beautiful piece by Erik Tiemens featuring Obi-Wan handing Luke off to Owen Lars. This was a popular photo spot! I need to make sure I get a photo with the droids next time I visit.
I’m still absolutely shook over the scale of Anakin Skywalker's podracer and General Grievous’ TSMEU-6 Wheel Bike. My brain never fully grasped just how large both vehicles were. The photos truly don't do them justice.
There were many more Star Wars pieces than I thought there would be, which was an absolute delight! It was the most crowded spot, and understandably so. Fans have been waiting years to experience this, and to see so many individuals admiring the collection was heart-warming. The museum was generally quiet, but I noticed several fans trying to keep their cool. As someone who exclaims excitedly quite often, even I found it difficult to keep my reactions on the quieter side.
Besides witnessing the full scale of Anakin's podracer and Grievous’ TSMEU-6 Wheel Bike, I loved seeing concept art pieces I'd never seen before! I think it's so exciting discovering ideas that weren't used in the final Star Wars films.
As someone who is gluten-free and dairy-free, I was able to order a custom salad at the Cafe which you can find on the first floor, located to the right of the main lobby. I opted for grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and lemon vinaigrette. I wouldn’t say it was amazing, but it was good! I’d pay for extra chicken next time. I also had a bag of chips. I love that George and Mellody made it a priority to include options everyone can afford, including sandwiches (grilled cheese and PB&J) for under $5. There was also a Starbucks in the seating area, and it smelled heavenly. I don't drink coffee, but I've always enjoyed the aromas of a coffee shop.
Although I didn't get any photos, we did take a little peek at the library, which was beautiful and very cozy. With floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, there was quite the selection of titles! I absolutely loved the giant window overlooking the park and gardens.
One of our last stops was the gift shop, which is also on the first floor to the left of the lobby. There's a wonderful collection of Star Wars items. I was a bit overwhelmed choosing what to buy, but I ended up with a Padmé Amidala pin, a concept art sticker, and two of the 25-cent pencils. I was looking for a Lucas Museum magnet, and while they did have shirts, mugs, and other collectibles, I didn't see one. I also wanted to grab some Star Wars postcards, but I didn't seen any in the main shop. There might have been some available at the smaller shop on the fourth floor, but I didn't get to check. If you have time and are looking for something specific, the inventory could be different at each shop!
As we left for the day, we saw a glimpse of the parks and gardens, and I immediately spotted the Padmé Amidala vs. the Nexu statue. It was so cool to see this in person, and I really appreciated that she was placed next to the Princess Leia vs. Jabba the Hutt statue. It made for a perfect like-mother, like-daughter moment.
Have you been yet? If not, do you plan to go soon? Let me know if you have any questions too! You can leave a comment below or get in touch with me via any of my social media channels: Instagram, X, Threads or Bluesky.
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