George Lucas to build his "Star Wars Museum" in Chicago

"Star Wars" fans, hold on to your light-saber (or nearest Wookie) and stand in line to wait until the new Star Wars Museum opens in Chicago. George Lucas will bring the movies props, costumes, and other odds-and-wrens to a site near the already standing Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium (not to mention Soldier Field, where the Bears usually look like something dripping from the Death Star). This museum is so cool that even NPR is screaming about it from the rooftops:

www.npr.org...

The Sun-Times describes the museum as a $1 billion investment and Chicago Business says, quoting a task force set up by Emanuel to study the project, it "would generate between $2 billion and $2.5 billion of additional tourist spending and significant tax revenue over ten years."

Earlier this year, Lucas announced plans to build the center. Although it's being described as the "Star Wars museum," Lucas says the facility would feature, among other things, a wide selection of populist art he owns, including "a number of Norman Rockwell paintings."

"I don't have enough walls, which is why I want to build a museum," Lucas told The San Francisco Chronicle in March.

Yes, I remember all the Norman Rockwell paintings in the Star Wars movies. No? Maybe in the bar scene.

a reply to: Aleister

I'd love to see the archeologist faces when they dig that up a 1000 years from now. They haven't seen the movie. Maybe they'll think it was real and start a religion.

a reply to: intrptr

The Museum will be like a temple, ground zero of the new religion you envision. People of the future (as opposed to a long long time ago) will dress in the costumes of their favorite gods and goddesses, and the face of Harrison Ford will be emblazoned on mountains and prayer trinkets.

I'm more of a Star Trek fan myself, and many years ago I saw the great Star Trek exhibit at the Air and Space Museum in D.C. I'd visit this Star Wars museum when it opens, although I bet the admission price will be a metal arm and leg. Just think of the interactive exhibits Lucas can put in there - be the first on your block to win an argument with the automated Yoda.

Well, Chicago is the one city that would benefit enormously from an influx of Jedi Knights. They may need an army of Droids as well if all the shootings are going to stop.

I wonder if light sabres deflect bullets as easily as they do laser beams.

May The Force Be With You!

Will they clean up the Mayor and his cronies aka Darth Vader and the other Knights of the Dark Side.

P

a reply to: Aleister

Chicago is only about a 4 hour drive for me. Sweet! I hope they build the structure itself to resemble something from the Star Wars universe. It would be cool if they had different worlds you could walk around in. Like a Tatooine village, Degobah, Cloud City, or the Death Star. Would love to se a full scale Millenium Falcon you could walk around in. So many possibilities.

I guess I will not be going to this museum as it will be located in the most dangerous city in the world, a virtual victim target rich environment.

a reply to: jtrenthacker

Yes, Lucas and his designers can go all out on this, and provide a lecture/film hall, a kickin' gift shop, and the most far-out interactive exhibits on the planet. Will he do all that? He'd better, nothing less will be expected. And the Jar Jar Binks room better be first rate, telling you that with a straight face and one hand on my wallet.

originally posted by: g146541
I guess I will not be going to this museum as it will be located in the most dangerous city in the world, a virtual victim target rich environment.

Chicago has one of the finest art museums in North America, so that, at least, should not be missed.

a reply to: g146541

While I'm no fan of Chicago in general, I have been to the area mentioned in the article several times to visit the museums, the pier, shopping, and the pubs. That area is fairly safe as far as I can tell. You may find trouble in the neighborhoods outside of that though.

a reply to: jtrenthacker
It's not the street level thugs you have to worry about, even though the city would have you disarmed and helpless.
It's the crooked agencies and politicians you really have to worry about.

There already is a kind of unofficial Star Wars Museum

Rancho-Obi-Wan.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

Yiyr yiyrtuve is malfluculating.

San Francisco was inept in this negotiation. They were greedy and assumptive of their advantage. They were forcing Lucas to buy property he didn't even want for over $30m after they refused his desired site which was more than twice the size. Instead Chicago offered a better site for a $1 dollar per annum lease. San Francisco didn't see the value of upping their tourist attraction count and Chicago filled the void well.