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From Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a renowned Latin American director, art museums and galleries throughout the United States are preparing a series of spectacular shows on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago in 2023, now just a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement 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 collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco partner museums, the Legion of Honor along with another, will be centering the Floating City with two interconnected exhibitions: one location presents a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, while the other zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of painting Venice – a theme that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately met the challenge, creating approximately 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *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 massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over 1m ft of film that never made it of the released movie, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to film. Accounts suggest the director delved into the archives to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. It's possible the exhibit will evoke some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation artist a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing all the way up to a new collection of works made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her components directly from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual sculptures that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable art spots. Having had major shows in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s thirty years of work are ready for a in-depth overview. 5 March–2 August.

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

Those familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s actually one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute will display the complete set of Matisse’s preparatory models – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of the Italian Renaissance – but he has rarely been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this is poised as a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

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

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a major, large-scale video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang here investigates the everyday realities of trans life. Lover Love promises to be a highly interactive experience, with audience members encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center showcases new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing discarded objects to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition showcases new work based on the theme of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of using reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art as old as ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s explorations are displayed and put into conversation with the work of contemporary diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the haunting shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum revisits 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, an Arizona venue displays the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.