George Lucas Funds Free Under-18 Admission for Academy Museum

Poster for Georges Méliès' Conquest of the Pole, 1912. Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences

The George Lucas Family Foundation has made a gift to secure free admission to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures for visitors aged 17 and under. The gift is in honor of Sid Ganis (former Motion Picture Academy President) and is to allow for the free admission in perpetuity.

This is provocative because Lucas is building his own movie-related museum in Exposition Park. My guess is that the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will also offer free children/teen admission.

I'm sure both museums will be popular. Given reports of the Academy Museum's strained finances, regular admission is not likely to be a cheap ticket.