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Spanning Renaissance masters and pop artists, contemporary greats and even a major Mexican director, galleries and galleries across the United States are preparing some spectacular shows coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, now 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 carries some pretty heavy expectations. The museum will be drawing on its long-held collection of nearly 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, numerous loans from institutions around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue and another, will be centering the Floating City through two interconnected exhibitions: one location will offer a exploration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic 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, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

Alejandro G Iñárritu's *Sueño Perro*: A Cinematic Resurrection

Celebrating the quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of footage that never made it of the final cut, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu delved into the vaults to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. It's possible the exhibit will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he simultaneously documents. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing through to a new series of pieces fashioned from scrap metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove frequently takes her components straight from the city environment, creating fascinating and strange sculptures that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable venues. Having had significant exhibitions in the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, her thirty years of creation are ready for a thorough overview. 5 March–2 August.

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

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is actually one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of Renaissance Italy – but 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 famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from all across Europe and over 200 works total, this is poised as a major event. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a significant and immersive video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang here explores the everyday realities of trans life. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive experience, with visitors encouraged to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the central film. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming unconventional materials to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. The show highlights recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice of employing found items as a meaningful gesture of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Building on the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this exhibition investigates how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art dating back to ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a collection of the artist's architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.