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Spanning old masters to pop artists, modern visionaries and even a major Mexican director, art museums as well as institutions across the US have some spectacular exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back in 2023, and currently just a mostly empty page at The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of a central creators of the Pop Art era carries significant expectations. The museum will be drawing on its long-held holdings of nearly 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, numerous loans from institutions globally. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with another, will be centering Venice through two linked shows: the former museum will offer a celebration 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 felt intimidated by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – yet he ultimately rose to the task, creating some 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

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

Marking the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of film that was left out into the final cut, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu dug deep into the archives to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. It's possible the installation will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing through to a fresh collection of pieces made from found metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove frequently sources her materials directly from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable venues. Having had significant exhibitions in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of creation are ripe for a in-depth survey. 5 March–2 August.

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

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – it’s actually one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from all across Europe and more than 200 works total, this promises to be a major event. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a major, large-scale video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. As with most of her work, Cheang here explores the daily struggles of trans life. Lover Love promises to be a very engaging experience, with visitors encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the concept of same-sex marriage. It extends her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show examines how non-verbal communication influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.