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Spanning Renaissance masters to pop artists, contemporary greats alongside a major Mexican film-maker, art museums and galleries throughout the US are preparing some spectacular exhibitions coming up for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago 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 movement carries some pretty heavy expectations. The institution plans to utilize its decades-old collection of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, numerous borrowed works from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and another, will be centering the Floating City through two linked exhibitions: one location presents a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, and the latter zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the prospect of depicting Venice – a theme that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately rose to the task, creating some 37 paintings, 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 revisits over a million feet of footage that never made it into the final cut, creating an immersive experience that doubles as a love letter to celluloid. 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. It's possible the exhibit will instil a sense of optimism 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 creator a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and moving all the way up to a fresh series of works made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently sources her materials straight from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual sculptures that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable venues. Having had major shows at the MoMA and a Parisian institution, her thirty years of work are ripe for a in-depth survey. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those who know 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 paired with text and bound into a book 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 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of the Italian Renaissance – but he has rarely been honored with a major show on US soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this is poised as a major event. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a significant and immersive video installation by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang here explores the everyday realities of trans life. The installation promises to be a very engaging experience, with audience members invited to interact with the four moveable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center 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 deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, queer-themed assemblages. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice of employing found items 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 west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are socialized to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how non-verbal communication influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, a Michigan museum presents a selection of the artist's architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.