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From Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries alongside a major Latin American film-maker, art museums as well as galleries throughout the US have a series of spectacular shows on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back in 2023, and currently just a placeholder listing on The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries significant anticipation. The institution will be drawing on its long-held collection of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, numerous loans from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, the Legion of Honor and deYoung, will be centering Venice with two interconnected shows: the former museum presents a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the challenge of painting Venice – a theme that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – yet he ultimately rose to the task, producing approximately 37 paintings, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of film that never made it into the released movie, crafting an art installation that doubles as a homage to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the vaults to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. It's possible the installation will evoke some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he simultaneously documents. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and moving all the way up to a new collection of works fashioned from scrap metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her materials straight from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in prestigious venues. With major shows at the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s three decades of creation are ripe for a thorough survey. 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 cut-out *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution 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 loans from all across Europe and more than 200 works in all, this promises to be 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 video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang here explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation is designed as a highly interactive piece, with audience members encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston showcases new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda after being outed 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 concept of same-sex marriage. It extends her longstanding practice of using found items as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show investigates how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art dating back to ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the haunting shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, a Michigan museum will show a collection of the artist's architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue displays the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.