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Spanning Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats and even a renowned Latin American director, galleries as well as galleries across the United States have some dazzling shows on the horizon in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago during 2023, and currently just a placeholder listing on a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The institution will be drawing on its long-held collection of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, numerous loans from institutions around the world. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will be centering 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 will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – yet he ultimately met the challenge, producing some 37 canvases, among them 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 revisits over a million feet of film that never made it of the final cut, creating an immersive experience that doubles as a homage to film. Reportedly Iñárritu dug deep into the archives to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. Perhaps the installation will evoke some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, beginning with her early works and moving all the way up to a new collection of pieces made from scrap metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often sources her materials straight from the urban landscape, creating fascinating and strange sculptures that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable art spots. Having had major shows at Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s thirty years of work are ready 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 cut-out *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – plus some 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of Renaissance Italy – yet he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from all across 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

A New York queer art museum presents a major, large-scale video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a very engaging experience, with audience members encouraged to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 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 after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. The show showcases new work based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of using reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how non-verbal communication shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art as old as ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the haunting silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of up and coming Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.