Filmmaker George Lucas has revealed his vision for a populist art museum to be built in San Francisco overlooking the Bay Area, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

His proposal is one of 16 received by the Presidio Trust, which is overseeing the rejuvenation of the former commissary site at Crissy Field, with others proposals including an observatory, an environmental museum and a museum dedicated to the US response to the Great Depression.

Lucas has pledged to fund the construction and endowment of the proposed 45,000 to 50,000sq ft (4,181 to 4,645sq m) museum, which local media report will cost up to US$700m (536m euro, £467m).

A further endowment would be gifted upon his death.

Constructed of stone and stucco walls and a glazed north facing façade, the museum would include at least five exhibition galleries, ranging in size from 4,500sq ft to 8,500sq ft (418 to 790sq m), connected by large public spaces to be used for displays and events.

Lucas said: “I want to create a gathering place where children, parents, and grandparents can experience everything from the great illustrators such Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth and Maxfield Parrish, to comic art and children’s book illustrations along with exhibitions of fashion, cinematic arts, and digital art.”

Concept proposals will be reviewed by the end of the month with successful contenders to be invited to submit detailed proposals, architectural designs, a funding strategy and an operations plan in April.

A final decision is expected to be made in September.