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From Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a major Mexican director, art museums and galleries throughout the US have some spectacular shows on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago during 2023, now merely a mostly empty page on The Whitney’s online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era comes with significant expectations. The institution plans to utilize its long-held holdings of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens loans from institutions globally. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue along with another, will be centering Venice through two linked exhibitions: one location will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, while the other zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually met the challenge, producing approximately 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of footage that was left out of the final cut, creating an immersive experience that doubles 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 some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculptor creator a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and progressing through to a new series of pieces made from found metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently sources her materials straight from the city environment, creating fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable venues. Having had major shows at Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s three decades of creation are ripe for a thorough survey. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has rarely received a major show on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from all across Europe and over 200 works total, this promises to be a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York queer art museum will host a major, large-scale film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang here investigates the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive piece, with visitors invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that display the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center will feature recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. This continues her ongoing project of using 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 foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show examines how body language influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art as old as ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the haunting silhouette art of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a selection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.