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From Renaissance masters to pop artists, contemporary greats and even a renowned Mexican film-maker, galleries as well as galleries across the US have a series of dazzling exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, now just a placeholder listing on The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of a central creators of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy expectations. The museum will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of close to 500 works by Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, dozens borrowed works from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will focus on the Floating City with two linked exhibitions: one location presents a exploration of the city as a source of high art throughout the centuries, while the other zooms in on what the 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 most revered artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, producing some 37 canvases, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of film that was left out into the released movie, creating an art installation that doubles as a homage to film. Accounts suggest Iñárritu delved into the vaults to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. It's possible the exhibit will instil a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and moving all the way up to a fresh series of pieces made from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often sources her components directly from the city environment, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. With significant exhibitions at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s three decades of creation are ready for a thorough 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 cut-out *Icarus* – it’s actually one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of Renaissance Italy – yet he has rarely been honored with a major show 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*. Featuring works from all across Europe and over 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang's *Lover Love*: An Interactive Vision

NYC’s queer art museum will host a major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation promises to be a highly interactive experience, with visitors invited to interact with the four moveable screens that show the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center showcases recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. The show showcases recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of defiance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are socialized to use physical space differently, this show investigates how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art dating back to ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.