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From Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a major Latin American director, galleries and galleries across the United States have some spectacular exhibitions coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago during 2023, now merely a placeholder listing at a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy expectations. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, numerous loans from institutions globally. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with deYoung, will focus on the Floating City through two linked exhibitions: one location presents a exploration of the city as a source of high art for hundreds of years, and the latter zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, creating some 37 canvases, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over a million feet of footage that was left out of the final cut, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the archives to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. Perhaps the installation will evoke some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, starting with her early works and moving all the way up to a fresh series of works fashioned from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove frequently takes her materials straight from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual sculptures that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable art spots. Having had major shows at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her thirty years of work are ready for a thorough overview. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s actually one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute will display the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 additional pieces by the artist. The cut paper works were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom been honored with a major show on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this is poised as a major event. Late March through June.

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

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a significant and immersive video installation by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang here explores the everyday realities of trans life. Lover Love promises to be a very engaging experience, with visitors invited to interact with the four moveable screens that display the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center showcases recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition highlights new work based on the theme of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show examines how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art dating back to ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of modern diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum presents a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.