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From Renaissance masters to pop artists, modern visionaries and even a major Mexican director, galleries as well as institutions throughout the United States have a series of dazzling exhibitions coming up in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago during 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of a pioneering figures of the Pop Art era carries significant anticipation. The museum plans to utilize its decades-old holdings of nearly 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, numerous borrowed works from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and deYoung, will be centering the Floating City with two interconnected exhibitions: one location presents a exploration of the city as a source of high art for hundreds of years, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. The artist was daunted by the prospect of painting Venice – a theme that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually rose to the task, producing some 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the 25th anniversary of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of footage that never made it of the final cut, crafting an art installation that doubles as a homage to film. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the archives to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the installation will instil some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculptor creator a comprehensive retrospective, starting with her initial pieces and moving all the way up to a fresh collection of pieces fashioned from found metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often sources her components directly from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable venues. With major shows at Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s thirty years of creation are ready for a in-depth overview. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone who know the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing since the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – yet he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American 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 loans from all across Europe and over 200 works in all, this is poised as a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

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

NYC’s 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. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang here investigates the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation promises to be a highly interactive piece, with audience members invited to play around with the four moveable screens that show the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for deconstructing unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition showcases new work based on the theme of same-sex marriage. This continues her ongoing project of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon 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 body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the haunting silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a collection of the artist's architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.