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From Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a major Latin American director, galleries and institutions throughout the United States have a series of dazzling exhibitions coming up in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, and currently merely a mostly empty page at The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the Pop Art era carries significant anticipation. The institution plans to utilize its long-held collection of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from institutions around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area sister institutions, one prestigious venue and another, will focus on the Floating City through two linked exhibitions: one location will offer a exploration of the city as an engine of high art throughout the centuries, while the other zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately met the challenge, producing some 37 paintings, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

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

Marking the quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than 1m ft of film that never made it into the released movie, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu delved 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 installation will evoke some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he simultaneously documents. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing through to a fresh collection of pieces fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her components directly from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable venues. Having had significant exhibitions in the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of creation are ripe for a in-depth survey. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing since the museum obtained 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. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great painter and architect 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 US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from throughout Europe and more than 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

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

NYC’s queer art museum presents a significant and immersive video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. As with most of her work, Cheang here investigates the everyday realities of transgender existence. The installation promises to be a highly interactive piece, with visitors encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that display the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center showcases new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming discarded objects to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. The show showcases recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of employing found items as a meaningful gesture of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show examines how body language influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the haunting silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of rising Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, a Michigan museum presents a selection of the artist's architectural studies. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.