🔗 Share this article

Spanning old masters and contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a major Latin American film-maker, art museums as well as galleries across the United States have some spectacular exhibitions coming up for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago during 2023, and currently just a mostly empty page on a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the Pop Art era comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old collection of close to 500 works from Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, numerous borrowed works from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue and another, will be centering Venice with two linked shows: the former museum presents a exploration of the city as a source of high art throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the challenge of painting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately rose to the task, creating some 37 paintings, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

Alejandro G Iñárritu's *Sueño Perro*: A Cinematic Resurrection

Marking the 25th anniversary of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of footage that was left out of the final cut, creating an immersive experience that doubles as a homage to film. Reportedly the director delved into the vaults to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the exhibit will instil a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a comprehensive retrospective, starting with her initial pieces and progressing all the way up to a new collection of works fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove often sources her materials directly from the urban landscape, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable venues. With significant exhibitions in Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s thirty years of work are ripe for a in-depth survey. 5 March–2 August.

Henri Matisse's *Jazz*: A Symphony of Cut Paper

Those familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – plus some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom been honored with a major show on US soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from throughout Europe and over 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang's *Lover Love*: An Interactive Vision

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a major, large-scale film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang here explores the everyday realities of trans life. The installation promises to be a very engaging piece, with visitors encouraged to interact with the four moveable screens that display the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center showcases new work from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing discarded objects to make elaborate, queer-themed sculptures. The show highlights recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. It extends her longstanding practice of using found items as a meaningful gesture of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how non-verbal communication influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies included art dating back to 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. In September, a Michigan museum presents a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.