George Lucas museum to open across from Coliseum during 2026 USC football season

3 hours ago7 min read

Alright, folks, gather 'round because we've got some absolutely massive news dropping right in the heart of Trojan territory. The long-awaited, perpetually-delayed Lucas Museum of Narrative Art—yeah, the brainchild of 'Star Wars' mastermind George Lucas himself—finally has a hard opening date, and it’s strategically timed for a blockbuster debut on September 22, 2026.Let that sink in. That’s the beginning of the 2026 USC football season, and this spaceship-looking behemoth is going to be sitting right across from the Los Memorial Coliseum.It’s like scheduling the premiere of a new Star Wars movie on Christmas—pure genius for crowd capture. The Sporting Tribune called this shot back in July, and now it’s official: the Coliseum experience is about to get a serious cultural upgrade.Imagine this: you’ve just watched Caleb Williams' successor (whoever that may be by then) launch a game-winning touchdown pass, the Coliseum is roaring, and then you just stroll across the park to geek out over original Boba Fett armor and Norman Rockwell paintings. It’s a fan's dream crossover episode.This isn't just another museum opening; it's the creation of a full-blown cultural district. The building itself, dreamed up by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects, is a 300,000-square-foot spectacle with curves that would make a Naboo starship jealous and a rooftop garden that’s basically begging for Instagram photos.Inside, it’s a nerd's paradise, housing over 40,000 pieces that trace storytelling from comic book legends like Jack Kirby to the very concept art that brought the Millennium Falcon to life. Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, have poured over a billion dollars into this passion project, which has faced more delays than a rainy day at a Dodgers game—first the pandemic, then supply chain issues, then leadership musical chairs.But now, it's in the final construction phase, with crews working to get the interiors ready. Its placement in Exposition Park is a power move, positioning it alongside heavy-hitters like the California Science Center and the buzzing BMO Stadium, home to LAFC and Angel City FC.This entire area is being set up to be a central hub for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and the Lucas Museum is poised to be its crown jewel. For USC football, this is a game-changer.Game days are already a massive production, but now with a world-class attraction right there, the foot traffic is going to be insane. It transforms a Saturday from just a football game into an entire day-long event. This is more than a museum; it's Lucas fulfilling a promise to build a home for storytelling in the city that defined modern entertainment, and it's about to become the coolest tailgate spot in history.

#featured

#George Lucas

#Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

#Los Angeles

#Exposition Park

#museum opening

#2026

#Star Wars

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