TheBoost said:

So I ask the question: other than hiding in a cave, WHAT could Lucas do that could not be interpreted as being a prestige-whore

People at the Oscars look good. When someone makes a musceum display about you you look good. Should Lucas not do these things? Wouldn't you call him bad names if he turned the Smithsonian down?

At the time, I would have been perplexed. Now, my preference would be to to offer the items and also offer the original films that the smithsonian were honoring - further more, make additional films that don't make a mockery of the OT by putting forth an effort in writing and directing. We don't have that, so from my perspective, it comes of as a crass stunt to generate hype - which lucas likes to claim only 'hollywood suits' resort too. Looking back, it looks like lucas was only interested in the paegentry of it all.