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Spanning Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats and even a major Mexican film-maker, art museums as well as institutions across the United States are preparing some dazzling exhibitions on the horizon in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back during 2023, and currently merely a mostly empty page on a major museum's website, this major retrospective of one of the pioneering figures of the Pop Art era comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The museum will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of nearly 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, numerous loans from collections globally. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with another, will focus on Venice through two interconnected shows: the former museum will offer a exploration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately rose to the task, producing approximately 37 paintings, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer 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*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of film that never made it of the final cut, crafting an art installation that doubles as a homage to film. Reportedly the director dug deep into the archives to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the installation will instil some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he simultaneously documents. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the mixed media sculptor creator a major career survey, beginning with her early works and progressing through to a fresh collection of works fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her components directly from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. With major shows in the MoMA 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

Anyone familiar with the book *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 paired with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum will display all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works 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 the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

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

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a significant and immersive video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation promises to be a highly interactive experience, with audience members invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston 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 recognized for deconstructing discarded objects to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. The show showcases new work based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of employing found items as a symbolic act of defiance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Building on the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art dating back to 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s explorations are displayed 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, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. In September, a Michigan museum will show a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.