The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has finally opened, after 17 years of work put into its creation by George Lucas and his wife, businesswoman Mellody Hobson. While it has drawn large crowds from all walks of life, its proud founders have not forgotten that for many, particularly students and low-income families, museum pricing can be high, resulting in some missing out on a lunch or a treat during a visit. As such, they’ve implemented a few measures to keep it budget-friendly for everyone.
The inspiration behind this lies in Hobson’s personal story. While today she is president and co-CEO of Ariel Investments, and a former chair of both DreamWorks and Starbucks, Hobson grew up in poverty. Her mother, a single parent of six, struggled to make ends meet, sometimes not even having enough money to pay the rent. As a result of this financial challenge, Hobson often found herself unable to afford any food as a kid on a field trip at a museum. These experiences marked her profoundly. In fact, it prompted the couple to create affordable options for all visitors to their museum, where the lobby café offers $2 grilled cheese sandwiches. These simply yet satisfying sandwiches are made with American and cheddar cheese melted together between slices of buttered Pullman bread.
“That was the directive from the founders, George and Mellody,” Katie Harel, the restaurant’s managing director, told Forbes, “who were adamant that there would be something affordable in the café for everyone. So everyone can eat something in the café for $2. Every single person.” In addition to the grilled cheese option, the museum café also offers a $3 peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Since no museum visit is complete without a trip to the gift shop, the Lucas Museum also offers some affordable souvenirs. The on-site shop sells 25¢ pencils listed as the Mellody Pencil. Part of the First Draft Collection, the stylish pencils include cheeky markings indicating how much of the pencil it would take to write a first, second, third, and final draft. The museum also offers a large selection of postcards for $2 each.
To plan your visit and book tickets, check out the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art website. To stay up to date with the museum, you can follow the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on Instagram.
George Lucas and his wife, businesswoman Mellody Hobson, implemented a few measures to make the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art budget-friendly for all visitors.
Photo: Hufton Crow
The museum lobby café offers $2 grilled cheese sandwiches, while the on-site shop sells 25¢ souvenir pencils.
Check out more of the affordable options at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art:
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Sources: Lucas Museum Review: The $2 Grilled Cheese Sandwich Is Everything; Mellody Hobson ’91: Lessons From a Financially Precarious Childhood
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