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From Renaissance masters and pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a major Mexican film-maker, galleries as well as galleries across the United States have some spectacular exhibitions on the horizon in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, and currently just a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s online schedule, this expansive survey of a pioneering figures of the pop art movement comes with significant expectations. The museum will be drawing on its long-held holdings of close to 500 works from Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens 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 celebration of the city as an engine of high art for hundreds of years, while the other will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the prospect of depicting Venice – a subject that had inspired the most revered artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately met the challenge, 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 quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of film that never made it of the final cut, creating an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to celluloid. Accounts suggest the director 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 exhibit will instil a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, starting with her early works and progressing through to a fresh collection of pieces made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her materials straight from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in prestigious venues. With significant exhibitions at the MoMA and a Parisian institution, Bove’s thirty years of creation are ripe for a in-depth overview. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Anyone who know the book *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 volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom been honored with a major show on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from all across Europe and over 200 works total, this promises to be a major event. 29 March–28 June.

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

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang here explores the daily struggles of trans life. The installation promises to be a very engaging piece, with audience members invited 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 forced to flee her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming discarded objects to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. The show showcases new work based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of using reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Building on the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are socialized to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies included art dating back to 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of modern diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the evocative silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.