Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

In the months before the Lucas Museum opened, the anticipation couldn’t have been higher. This was the first museum of its kind dedicated to the art of human storytelling and showcasing iconic works across mediums, including unseen pieces from the Star Wars creator’s personal collection. 


At the heart of the museum’s vision was the idea of ‘narrative art’. Rather than experiencing art as a passive observer through the traditional canon, the Lucas Museum envisaged epic pieces alongside the unexpected—from fine art to comics, illustration, film, and popular culture. We realized Lucas’s vision by building story-driven art pages that stop people getting bogged down and instead blows their imagination.

This innovative experience is totally unlike a traditional museum. Our strategy was to redefine the museum experience. We broadened the appeal and maximized engagement by establishing the Lucas Museum as an accessible cultural destination for adults and children that promised entertainment rather than a purely intellectual proposition.

AREA 17 had the unique opportunity to open the doors to a physical space that did not yet exist. The success of the opening hinged on the website and our ability to bring the brand to life in a way that excites people of all ages and backgrounds. It was critical we made a strong first impression.

The digital system needed to support three distinct phases: pre-launch, opening, and post-launch. Building on the visual identity created by 2x4, we extended the brand into digital with new motion, video, and immersive UX to create its first fully realized expression. 



Our pre-launch phase focuses on generating buzz and selling people on the concept before the museum opens. Since the Lucas Museum is all about visual storytelling, we took inspiration from major cultural destinations such as music festivals and arts gatherings to create a site that is highly visual and fun to explore. 


To build excitement around the collection, we had to show off its diversity without overwhelming or alienating visitors. We organized the artwork into themes and created immersive paths for people to lightly explore the breadth of the museum’s offering while also easily finding their favorite sections.

In the run-up to launch, we focus on content hierarchy and user experience to ensure booking information is clear and accessible. This includes simplifying a complex multi-tiered ticketing system to help visitors buy tickets and plan their in-person experience.

The website was built for the unknown, going live well before the physical museum opened its doors. To plan for future changes, we developed everything on Twill, AREA 17’s proprietary content manager service platform, and provided ongoing training to empower and inspire the museum’s internal team.

This block-based system gave them flexible components to create narrative art pages built on AREA 17’s strategy of transforming passive observation into an active and impactful experience.

After the launch, the website will evolve into a permanent flagship digital experience for the Lucas Museum, delivering everything from continued storytelling to ticketing and exploration of the collection.

The futuristic building designed by Ma Yansong of MAD, has changed both the physical area that surrounds it and the definition of a museum itself. Inside its spaceship-like exterior are 35 galleries with over 40,000 works of art, two theatres, a library, cafes, and a rooftop restaurant designed by another AREA 17 client, Rockwell Group. 



Today, the museum stands as an iconic landmark and destination for global tourists — democratizing the definition of fine art and inspiring future generations of visual storytellers, filmmakers, and digital artists.