Community First: Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Officially Opens in South LA with Free 'LM37' Neighbor Pass
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Photography by Patrick Price
Following months of anticipation, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art officially celebrated its highly anticipated grand opening on September 22, 2026, in Los Angeles's Exposition Park.
Co-founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the institution unveiled dedicated community-first programs designed to ensure immediate South Los Angeles neighbors remain central to its creative identity. Key among these initiatives is the newly launched LM37 Pass, which grants permanent free admission to residents living within the museum's immediate 90037 zip code. Prior to the grand opening, the museum also hosted an exclusive Community Preview Day on Sunday, September 13, welcoming local civic leaders, business owners, and community partners for an advance look at the state-of-the-art campus.
Civic Inclusivity & Architectural Excellence
Designed as an accessible, multi-generational cultural hub, the museum balances world-class visual storytelling archives with expansive public green space:
The Free LM37 Neighbor Pass: Exclusively created for 90037 zip code residents, the LM37 program allows passholders to reserve free advance tickets for themselves and a guest.
Visionary Architecture: Designed by Ma Yansong of MAD with Stantec, the futuristic 300,000-square-foot building features 100,000 square feet of gallery space dedicated to the history of visual narrative art—from ancient cave paintings to modern cinema.
11-Acre Public Park: Surrounding the building, renowned landscape architect Mia Lehrer and Studio-MLA designed an 11-acre green campus built for outdoor community engagement and neighborhood gatherings.
Community-Centered Vision: As CEO Tracey Bates noted, the initiative fulfills George Lucas and Mellody Hobson’s core mission: creating a space where neighbors see the museum as their own.
Museum Architecture & Access Structure
To assist arts journalists and local residents navigating the new campus, the Lucas Museum detailed the core facilities and neighborhood access frameworks:
Facility Pillar Design & Scale Community Access Model Main Museum Structure300,000 sq. ft. (Ma Yansong / MAD)100,000 sq. ft. of rotating & permanent galleries.LM37 Neighbor Pass Dedicated Zip Code Allotmen tFree admission for 90037 residents + 1 guest. Surrounding Campus11-Acre Outdoor Park (Mia Lehrer / Studio-MLA)Open public gathering space & outdoor programming.