The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has finally been approved for landing in Exposition Park. 

Plans for the venue, which were put forth by George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson, have been given the go-ahead by Los Angeles City Council. It will sit adjacent to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, home of the USC Trojans football team (and temporarily, the NFL’s Rams). Lucas attended USC as an undergraduate, and proximity to his alma mater was an important factor for him to build the venue in Los Angeles. 

Renderings of the museum show an (appropriately) outer space-inspired exterior that appears to hover over the surrounding park area. MAD Architects, a design firm from Beijing, is behind the unique structure — a work fitting with many of their other concepts built around the world.

Rendering Courtesy of The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

Once complete, the museum will house Lucas and Hobson’s art collection, “Star Wars” memorabilia, and other pieces that showcase pop culture and art. The idea of the museum is to tell stories and inspire those who visit to create works of their own.

Best of all, the venue will both enhance Exposition Park and cost the city zero dollars to build. Lucas and Hobson are behind the funding (over $1 billion). The project will create more than 1,500 construction jobs, along with more than 350 permanent jobs once complete.

 The museum will replace a parking lot and soccer field (which will be rebuilt nearby). Current plans call for construction to begin in early 2018 with doors ready to open in 2021.