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From Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats and even a renowned Mexican film-maker, art museums and galleries throughout the US are preparing some spectacular exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back during 2023, now merely a placeholder listing on a major museum's website, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the pop art movement carries significant anticipation. The institution plans to utilize its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area partner museums, the Legion of Honor along with deYoung, will be centering Venice through two linked exhibitions: one location presents a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of depicting Venice – a subject that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, producing some 37 canvases, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than 1m ft of film that was left out of the final cut, creating an immersive experience that also serves as a love letter to film. Reportedly Iñárritu dug deep into the vaults to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. It's possible the installation will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, beginning with her early works and progressing through to a fresh series of pieces made from found metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her components directly from the city environment, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in prestigious venues. Having had major shows in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of creation are ready for a thorough overview. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Those who know 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 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum will display all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on American 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 works from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this promises to be a major event. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a significant and immersive film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive piece, with visitors invited to play around with the four moveable screens that display 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 compelled to leave her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. The show highlights new work based on the theme of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of using found items as a meaningful gesture of defiance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Building on the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are socialized to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research spanned art dating back to 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative silhouette art of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum presents a selection of the artist's architecture paintings. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.