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Spanning Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a major Latin American film-maker, galleries and institutions across the United States have some dazzling exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago during 2023, and currently merely a mostly empty page on a major museum's website, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era carries some pretty heavy expectations. The museum plans to utilize its long-held holdings of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, numerous borrowed works from institutions globally. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and another, will focus on Venice through two linked shows: the former museum presents a exploration of the city as an engine of high art throughout the centuries, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the challenge of painting Venice – a subject that had inspired the most revered artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually met the challenge, producing approximately 37 paintings, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

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

Marking the 25th anniversary of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of footage that was left out into the released movie, crafting an art installation that also serves as a homage to film. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the archives to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the installation will evoke some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and moving all the way up to a new series of pieces fashioned from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her materials directly from the city environment, creating intriguing and unusual sculptures that have appeared in prestigious venues. Having had major shows at the MoMA and a Parisian institution, Bove’s three decades of work are ripe for a in-depth overview. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and published as a volume 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 since the museum acquired the works in 1948 – plus around 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has rarely received a major show on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this is poised as 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 major figure in digital art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation promises to be a highly interactive piece, with visitors invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that display the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston showcases recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming unconventional materials to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition showcases recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the evocative silhouette art of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.