Star Wars creator George Lucas (L) receives an award for favorite movie with "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" by actor Harrison Ford at the 32nd annual People's Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California January 10, 2006. Ford played character Han Solo in the early Star Wars movies. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith - RTR17ZIC
REUTERS/Robert Galbraith - RTR17ZIC"Star Wars" film maker George Lucas broke ground on his new $1 billion story-telling museum on Wednesday, saying it will embrace art of all kinds.
The museum, near the University of Southern California in south Los Angeles where Lucas studied film, will feature some of the director's collection of paintings, illustrations and digital art from the "Star Wars" movie franchise he started in 1977.
It will showcase traditional and popular art, including animation, digital and comic art and will also house dining space, theaters, lecture halls, classrooms and a public research library.
"Popular art is an insight into a society and what they aspire to, what they really want, what they really are, because it's telling that narrative of their story, their history, their belief system," he added.
Lucas has donated several items from his personal art collection, which includes paintings and film memorabilia.
Luke Skywalker's first light saber, Darth Vader's helmet, and pieces from "Casablanca," "The Ten Commandments" and "The Wizard of Oz" are set for display at the museum, Variety reported.
Lucas sold his "Star Wars" franchise to Walt Disney Co. in 2012 for $4 billion.
(Reporting by Reuters Television; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) ((jill.serjeant1@thomsonreuters.com; 213 955 6811;))