A few months ago, coming back from the California Science Center with the three kids, my husband announced: “They’re building a Lucas Museum in Expo Park next to the Natural History Museum!”
I joined their mailing list that same day, and eventually splurged for the inaugural annual membership that allowed us to book tickets for the first weekend slot after opening: Saturday, September 26!
In total, we spent about 2 hours at the Lucas Museum, with roughly 30 minutes in the theater, 45 minutes in the galleries, and another 45 minutes of walking around, including in the Sculpture Garden. Our three kids, ages 3-8, honestly don’t last very long on outings, so our strategy has always been to keep everything short and sweet, which is why membership makes a lot of sense for our family. Read on to see my experience and recommendations!
Arrival
We took the Metro Expo Line, got off at Expo/Vermont, and walked down Bill Robertson Ln to the East Entrance. There was already a short line, but it moved quickly once the gates opened. We went through security, had our tickets scanned, and wrist bands applied. The workers were all very friendly and welcoming. I was told that the museum grounds and library were normally open to the public with no tickets required, but today everything was closed to ticketed guests only because there was a game going on at the Coliseum across the street.
Once we got in, the Lucas Plaza was quite an impressive sight. Between the oculus (Latin word for “eye”)— the big hole right in the middle of the sprawling white structure overhead— and the Naboo N-1 Starfighter (complete with Anakin and R2-D2) hanging above the Education Lobby, there were plenty of photo-ops to keep us occupied.
Inside the Main Lobby, the futuristic glass elevators immediately captured our attention. I saw guests carrying physical maps, so I requested a copy at the information desk. They don’t put it on the counter, but I would recommend getting one. It is beautifully illustrated and definitely a keeper.
Even the bathrooms felt futuristic. Many are equipped with convenient “Wave to Open” switches— just the kind of modern technology for clean freaks like myself. There are water fountains for drinking, but none of them have water bottle refill stations. No biggie, we could still refill water bottles, and at least they did not make us check in water bottles. Food and drinks are not allowed though.
Theaters
Our first stop was the Slavko Vorkapich Theater, where we caught the first shows of the day: Star Wars Detours (super funny!) and Popeye the Sailor (classic— and now the kids will finally understand why older people mention Popeye when eating spinach).
A few notes on the theaters:
– There are two theaters, both located on Level 1: the Robert Flaherty Theater, which plays documentaries on narrative art, and the Slavko Vorkapich Theater, which plays short films.
– The screenings run continuously throughout the day in the sequence listed on the program, so if there’s a particular film you want to catch, you just have to kind of do some math to calculate the start time.
– The films played in the theaters are not rated. Check the printed program to see which ones are marked “M” (for mature content) and SI (for sensory input advisory). When I asked the staff at the door whether everything was kid-friendly, he said that some did have adult content, but he didn’t know which ones.
– There are no seating assignments, and you can come and go as you wish.
Star Wars Gallery
Peeling the kids away from the big screen, we told them that we’re finally going to see the real Star Wars stuff that we came for.
Yes, I know the museum keeps stating that they’re not a Star Wars museum, and I would certainly agree with that. There is something here for everybody.
That said, I’m pleased to report that STAR WARS FANS WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED! The Cinema gallery right at the heart of Level 4 IS the Star Wars gallery, and that was where the museum staff outside the glass elevator was directing everyone without being asked.
The gallery is a loop that starts with C-3PO and R2-D2 in the first corner, Darth Vader and Boba Fett in the second corner, Princess Leia in the third corner, and Darth Maul, General Grievous and Mace Windu in the last corner. There is also Anakin in his podracer, Anakin and Obi-Wan in the airspeeder, and Luke standing next to his landspeeder, along with numerous models, paintings, and other artifacts. The life-sized models look real, and everything was seriously a lot of fun to see close-up in real life, even for a non-serious fan like myself.
Galleries & Viewpoints
The rest of the galleries were more like a traditional art museum setting, with mostly paintings and some sculptures. It was organized by theme (Adventure, Fantasy, Work, etc), which to me made a lot of sense.
Be sure to stop by the North Viewpoint (next to the Play and Sports galleries) for a sweeping view of Downtown LA. You get almost the same view as the Skywalker Grill one level above, but it’s air-conditioned and you don’t have to pay extra for it!
Sculpture Garden
The kids were starting to whine about being tired at this point, so we glossed through the galleries before heading to the Sculpture Garden, stopping briefly to admire the library that was beautifully arrayed with wooden shelves full of books (again organized by theme).
The Sculpture Garden seems to have a theme of “unlikely heros”, featuring statues of Leia fighting Jabba the Hutt, and Padme fighting a nexu, as well as David conquering Goliath, Rosie the Riveter, and a troop of boy/girl scouts. There was no map, and I later found out that we missed the statues of Yoda and Grogu, but the kids were at their limit so I guess we would have had to save those for next time anyway.
Is the Lucas Museum good for kids?
This is not an easy question to answer. On the one hand, admission is free for kids 17 and under, and I saw plenty of people with kids. There are family restrooms, and even a nursing room, located next to the Main Lobby bathrooms on the left side as you enter. Young Star War fans will have a blast seeing the characters and artifacts up close (even if, like my kids, they have yet to watch the movies). There are several galleries with themes that kids can connect with, such as family, childhood, school, play, and sports. And people of all ages can appreciate the unique architecture, sweeping views, grassy garden, and of course, the theater.
On the other hand, most of the galleries provide a more traditional art museum experience. Just like in other art museums, I was constantly worried about my kids getting too close or their fingers accidentally touching the artwork when they point. Some pieces were behind glass, but I didn’t see anything roped off. The 3-year-old was too short to see most pieces hung on walls. And since we had three kids of varying ages and interests that needed supervision, it was hard to keep everyone in the same place. I was too busy keeping track of them to actually enjoy the art myself. I would definitely try to come back again without kids— there is so much that we missed.
It would be wonderful if the Lucas Museum, like many major museums, designed an activity booklet or worksheet geared towards younger kids, even something as simple as a scavenger hunt or bingo (complete with prizes, of course). A self-guided tour or audio tour for children would also be fantastic. There could be storytime at the library. Even more amazing would be a half-day camp (ok, how about just two hours?) for children that includes museum admission for adults to enjoy while the kids are being entertained— I mean educated. I have yet to see any museums with such programs though, so that would be truly avant-garde haha.
Barring that, I’ll probably need to do some homework before our next visit so that I could better guide my kids on what to appreciate about the pieces. Thankfully, there is a lot of information in their digital guide. It is designed to be used by scanning artwork with a phone while inside the museum, but info for gallery highlight pieces is available online without scanning.
When we asked the kids what they liked the most, they said, “The movies!” Ah well. We don’t have a TV at home and have never taken them to the theaters, so I guess this could stand in for our theater-going experience. Perhaps next time we will switch off and have one adult watch movies with them while the other person goes and actually enjoys the artwork? Or perhaps someday my husband and I will find time to come here for a child-free date, and even get a spot at the famed Skywalker Grill… someday.
Must-See Highlights for Star Wars Fans
– Cinema Gallery (Level 4): The Star Wars Gallery!
– Slavko Vorkapich Theater (Level 1): “Star Wars Detours” and “Star Wars: Visions” films
– Education Lobby: Anakin’s Starfighter
– Sculpture Garden: Statues of Leia, Padme, Yoda and Grogu
