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From Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats and even a renowned Latin American director, art museums as well as galleries across the United States have a series of spectacular exhibitions coming up for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, now just a mostly empty page at The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era carries significant anticipation. The museum plans to utilize its decades-old collection of close to 500 works by Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, numerous loans from institutions globally. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will focus on the Floating City through two linked exhibitions: the former museum will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of high art throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately rose to the task, creating approximately 37 canvases, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

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

Marking the 25th anniversary of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of footage that was left out into the final cut, creating an art installation that doubles as a love letter to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the archives to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. Perhaps the exhibit will instil a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the multidisciplinary sculptor creator a major career survey, starting with her initial pieces and moving through to a fresh collection of works fashioned from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her materials straight from the city environment, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable venues. With significant exhibitions in the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s three decades of work are ripe for a thorough overview. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum will display the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus around 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of the Italian Renaissance – but he has seldom received a major show on American soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from throughout 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

A New York queer art museum will host a major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. As with most of her work, Cheang here explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation is designed as a very engaging experience, with audience members invited to play around with the four moveable screens that show the central film. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. The show showcases recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice of employing found items as a symbolic act of defiance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show examines how non-verbal communication shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, an art 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 three-dimensional works. In September, a Michigan museum presents a selection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.