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From Renaissance masters and pop artists, contemporary greats and even a major Latin American director, art museums as well as galleries across the US have a series of spectacular shows on the horizon in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, and currently just a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The museum will be drawing on its long-held collection of close to 500 works by Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, numerous loans from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will be centering the Floating City through two interconnected exhibitions: one location presents a celebration of the city as a source of high art throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. The artist was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually rose to the task, creating some 37 paintings, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

Alejandro G Iñárritu's *Sueño Perro*: A Cinematic Resurrection

Marking the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of footage that was left out into the released movie, creating an art installation that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Reportedly the director dug deep into the vaults to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the exhibit will evoke some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, starting with her initial pieces and moving all the way up to a fresh series of works fashioned from scrap metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her materials directly from the city environment, producing fascinating and strange sculptures that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable art spots. Having had significant exhibitions at the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of work are ripe for a thorough survey. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – 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 late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of Renaissance Italy – but he has rarely been honored with a large-scale exhibition on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from throughout Europe and more than 200 works in all, this is poised as a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s queer art museum presents a significant and immersive video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. As with most of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of transgender existence. Lover Love promises to be a highly interactive piece, with visitors encouraged to interact with the multiple movable screens that show the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature new work from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are socialized to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how non-verbal communication shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the evocative silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of rising Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum revisits 80s graffiti 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 colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.