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From Renaissance masters and pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a renowned Mexican film-maker, art museums and galleries throughout the United States have a series of dazzling exhibitions on the horizon in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page at a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the Pop Art era carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The museum plans to utilize its long-held collection of nearly 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, numerous borrowed works from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with another, will be centering the Floating City with two interconnected exhibitions: one location will offer 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 thought of the enchanting city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the challenge of depicting Venice – a theme that had captivated the most revered artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually rose to the task, 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

Celebrating the quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than 1m ft of film that was left out into the final cut, crafting an immersive experience that doubles as a love letter to film. Accounts suggest the director delved into the archives to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation creator a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing all the way up to a fresh series of pieces fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her components directly from the city environment, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. Having had significant exhibitions at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s three decades of creation are ripe for a in-depth overview. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum will display all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 additional pieces by the artist. The cut paper works represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom received a major show on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from throughout 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

A New York queer art museum presents a major, large-scale film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with most of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the everyday realities of trans life. Lover Love is designed as a very engaging experience, with audience members invited to interact with the multiple movable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center will feature new work from this artist, who was forced to flee her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming unconventional materials to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of using reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this exhibition examines how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the evocative silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. In September, a Michigan museum will show a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.