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From Renaissance masters to pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a major Latin American director, art museums and galleries across the US are preparing some dazzling exhibitions coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago during 2023, and currently just a mostly empty page on a major museum's website, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the Pop Art era comes with significant expectations. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, numerous borrowed works from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue and another, will focus on Venice with two linked shows: the former museum will offer a celebration of the city as a source of high art for hundreds of years, while the other zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately met the challenge, producing approximately 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of footage that never made it of the final cut, creating an immersive experience that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Reportedly the director dug deep into the vaults to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the mixed media sculptor artist a major career survey, beginning with her early works and progressing all the way up to a new collection of works fashioned from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her components directly from the city environment, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. Having had significant exhibitions at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s three decades of work are ready for a in-depth survey. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Anyone familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is actually one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – plus around 50 additional pieces by the artist. The cut paper works were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on American soil. A premier East Coast institution 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 loans from throughout Europe and more than 200 works total, this is poised as a major event. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a significant and immersive film-based work by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the everyday realities of trans life. The installation is designed as a very engaging piece, with visitors invited to interact with the multiple movable screens that show the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center showcases new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for deconstructing unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. The show highlights recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice of using found items as a meaningful gesture of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show investigates how body language influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies included art dating back to 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the evocative silhouette art of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of the artist's architecture paintings. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue displays the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.