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Spanning old masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries alongside a renowned Mexican film-maker, art museums and institutions throughout the United States are preparing a series of spectacular exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page at The Whitney’s website, this major retrospective of a central creators of the Pop Art era carries significant anticipation. The institution plans to utilize its long-held holdings of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, dozens borrowed works from institutions globally. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area sister institutions, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will be centering the Floating City with two interconnected shows: one location presents a celebration of the city as an engine of high art for hundreds of years, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. The artist was daunted by the challenge of painting Venice – a subject that had inspired the most revered artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, creating some 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

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

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of footage that never made it into the final cut, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a homage 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 exhibit will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and moving through to a fresh series of pieces fashioned from scrap metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently sources her materials directly from the city environment, creating fascinating and strange sculptures that have been displayed in prestigious venues. With major shows in Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s thirty years of work are ripe for a thorough survey. Early Spring to Summer.

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* – this is in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum will display the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum obtained 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: Sublime Poetry

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify 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

NYC’s queer art museum presents a significant and immersive film-based work by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang here explores the everyday realities of transgender existence. The installation is designed as a very engaging experience, with audience members invited to interact with the multiple movable screens that display the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature recent creations from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing unconventional materials to make elaborate, queer-themed sculptures. This exhibition showcases new work based on the concept of same-sex marriage. 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

Expanding upon the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how non-verbal communication influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art dating back to ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the evocative silhouette art of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of rising Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, a Michigan museum will show a collection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.