Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

Located in South Los Angeles’s Exposition Park, the museum stands within a constellation of cultural institutions and a wider community rich in history, creativity, and learning.

MAD conceived the museum as a sculptural, organic form shaped by light, clouds, and the surrounding tree canopy. Rising from Exposition Park, it feels both grounded and ethereal, embodying the museum’s belief in imagination as a shared public resource.

Lifted above the ground, the museum engages with the street on a human scale, encouraging social interaction while preserving views of Exposition Park. Central steel arches spanning 185 feet (56 meters) form a suspended plaza—a shaded, protected gathering space. From here, visitors move through north and south lobbies, where tall ceilings and abundant natural light create welcoming entrances, while the central elliptical Oculus frames a striking view from ground to sky.

Sunlight floods the museum’s luminous main lobby, where sweeping arches soar overhead and glass elevators ascend, carrying visitors to the upper-level galleries and the restaurant.

The museum’s galleries—more than 100,000 square feet (9,300 square meters)—present works organized around enduring themes, from the everyday to the fantastical.

The museum’s library is both a research center and a quiet space for reflection. It supports scholars, students, and curious visitors exploring the breadth of narrative art. In addition to its galleries, the five-story building features two state-of-the-art cinematic theaters.

Throughout the building, flexible spaces support public programs, learning opportunities, and community engagement. Together, these spaces create an experience that moves seamlessly from curiosity to discovery, conversation, and beyond.