The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is experiencing another significant leadership departure as Chief Curator and Deputy Director of Curatorial and Collections Pilar Tompkins Rivas has left her position, marking the latest in a series of high-profile exits from the Los Angeles institution. The Los Angeles Times first broke the news of her departure on Friday, highlighting ongoing staffing challenges as the museum approaches its long-awaited opening.

Founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson, both members of ARTnews Top 200 Collectors, the museum has been years in development and only recently announced its official opening date. The institution is scheduled to inaugurate on September 22, 2026, with a focus on what Lucas has termed "narrative art" – artwork that tells the story of a society and reflects cultural narratives through various media.

Tompkins Rivas, who previously served as director of the Vincent Price Art Museum, was among six women appointed to senior positions at the Lucas Museum in 2020 under the leadership of then-director and CEO Sandra Jackson-Dumont. Most of these appointees were women of color, representing a deliberate effort to diversify the museum's leadership structure. However, according to reports, only two of Jackson-Dumont's original hires remain at the institution.

The leadership exodus began in earnest when Jackson-Dumont herself departed the museum in February 2025. Her exit marked a turning point for the institution, which subsequently implemented what it described as a "new leadership structure." Under this reorganization, George Lucas assumed direct control over what the museum diplomatically termed "content direction," while former 20th Century Fox and Paramount Pictures chairman and CEO Jim Gianopulos stepped in as interim CEO.

The staffing challenges intensified in May 2025 when the museum conducted significant layoffs, eliminating 15 positions representing 14 percent of its full-time workforce. These cuts came at a critical time as the institution was preparing for its opening and working to finalize exhibitions and programming.

Despite these organizational challenges, the Lucas Museum has continued to make headlines for its ambitious acquisition program. The institution has secured notable works by prominent artists including Robert Colescott, Norman Rockwell, and Frida Kahlo, building a collection that spans various forms of narrative art from traditional painting to contemporary digital media.

Other notable departures from the museum include Amanda Hunt, who served as director of public programs and creative practice before joining the Walker Art Center, and Dan Nadel, the former curator at large who recently moved to the Whitney Museum. These exits represent a significant loss of curatorial expertise as the museum prepares for its public debut.

In response to Tompkins Rivas's departure, the Lucas Museum issued a statement indicating it has no immediate plans to replace her role. "George Lucas will continue to oversee curatorial content and direction," the statement read. "We thank Pilar Tompkins Rivas for her hard work over the last five years, which has been instrumental in preparing the museum for its opening. We wish her well in her future endeavors."

The museum's struggles with leadership retention raise questions about institutional stability as it approaches its opening. With less than two years until the scheduled inauguration, the Lucas Museum faces the challenge of maintaining operational continuity while building public confidence in its mission and management.