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From Renaissance masters to pop artists, modern visionaries and even a major Mexican film-maker, art museums and galleries throughout the US are preparing a series of dazzling exhibitions on the horizon in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back during 2023, now merely a placeholder listing on a major museum's website, this major retrospective of a pioneering figures of the pop art movement comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The institution plans to utilize its decades-old collection of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens loans from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and another, will focus on the Floating City through two linked shows: the former museum presents a celebration of the city as an engine of high art throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, producing approximately 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

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

Marking the quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than 1m ft of footage that was left out of the final cut, creating an art installation that doubles as a homage to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu dug deep into the archives to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the exhibit will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and moving all the way up to a fresh series of pieces fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her materials straight from the city environment, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in prestigious venues. With major shows at the MoMA and a Parisian institution, Bove’s three decades of creation are ripe for a thorough overview. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Those who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 of Matisse’s other works. 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 is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of the Italian Renaissance – but he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from throughout Europe and more than 200 works in all, this is poised as a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a significant and immersive video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love promises to be a very engaging piece, with audience members encouraged to interact with the four moveable screens that display the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing unconventional materials to make intricate, queer-themed assemblages. The show showcases recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. It extends her ongoing project of employing found items as a symbolic act 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 genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show examines how non-verbal communication influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of rising artist an innovative creator. During the summer, an Arkansas museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. In September, a Michigan museum will show a collection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.