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From Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a major Latin American film-maker, art museums and institutions throughout the United States have a series of spectacular shows on the horizon in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago during 2023, and currently just a placeholder listing on a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of a pioneering figures of the Pop Art era carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The institution plans to utilize its long-held holdings of close to 500 works by Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens loans from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with another, will be centering Venice through two linked shows: one location will offer a exploration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the challenge of painting Venice – a subject that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, producing approximately 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of film that was left out of the released movie, crafting an art installation that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu dug deep into the archives to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps 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.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing all the way up to a fresh collection of pieces made from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently sources her materials straight from the city environment, creating fascinating and strange constructions that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. With major shows at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her thirty years of creation are ripe for a thorough overview. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute 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 additional pieces by the artist. The cut paper works represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of Renaissance Italy – yet he has seldom been honored with a major show on American soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from throughout Europe and more than 200 works total, this promises to be a major event. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a significant and immersive film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang here investigates the everyday realities of trans life. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive piece, with visitors encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center showcases recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for deconstructing unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition showcases new work based on the concept of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice of employing found items as a symbolic act of defiance. 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 studied how men and women are socialized to use physical space differently, this exhibition investigates how non-verbal communication shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.