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Spanning Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries alongside a renowned Mexican film-maker, galleries and galleries across the US are preparing some dazzling shows coming up for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing on The Whitney’s website, this major retrospective of a central creators of the pop art movement comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The institution plans to utilize its decades-old holdings of nearly 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, numerous loans from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area partner museums, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will focus on Venice through two interconnected shows: one location will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of high art for hundreds of years, while the other zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually rose to the task, creating some 37 canvases, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over 1m ft of film that was left out into the released movie, creating an art installation that also serves as a homage to film. Accounts suggest Iñárritu 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 instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the mixed media sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and moving all the way up to a fresh series of pieces fashioned from scrap metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often sources her components directly from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in prestigious art spots. Having had major shows in Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s thirty years of work are ready for a thorough overview. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Anyone who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is actually one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 additional pieces by the artist. The cut paper works represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom been honored with a major show on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from all across Europe and more than 200 works in all, this is poised as a major event. Late March through June.

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

NYC’s queer art museum will host a significant and immersive film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation is designed as a very engaging experience, with audience members encouraged 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 compelled to leave her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing discarded objects to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. The show showcases new work based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her ongoing project of using found items as a meaningful gesture of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art as old as 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of rising Black artist an innovative creator. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. In September, a Michigan museum will show a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.