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Spanning Renaissance masters to pop artists, modern visionaries and even a renowned Latin American film-maker, art museums as well as galleries across the US are preparing a series of spectacular exhibitions on the horizon in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, and currently merely a mostly empty page on The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The institution will be drawing on its long-held collection of nearly 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with another, will focus on the Floating City with two linked exhibitions: one location will offer a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, while the other zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually rose to the task, creating some 37 canvases, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the quarter-century of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over a million feet of footage that never made it of the released movie, creating an art installation that also serves as a homage to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu dug deep into the vaults to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. Perhaps the exhibit will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculptor creator a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing through to a new series of works fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often sources her materials directly from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual sculptures that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable venues. With significant exhibitions at Museum of Modern Art 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 a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with 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. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus some 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters 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 landmark show. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from throughout Europe and over 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York queer art museum presents a significant and immersive film-based work by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of trans life. Lover Love promises to be a very engaging piece, with visitors encouraged to interact with the multiple movable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston showcases recent creations from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming unconventional materials to make intricate, queer-themed assemblages. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. 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

Building on the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of up and coming artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a selection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.