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Spanning old masters and pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a renowned Mexican film-maker, galleries and institutions throughout the United States have some spectacular exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, now just a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s online schedule, this expansive survey of a central creators of the Pop Art era carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The museum plans to utilize its decades-old holdings of close to 500 works from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, numerous borrowed works from institutions globally. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco partner museums, the Legion of Honor and another, will focus on Venice with two interconnected shows: one location presents a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately met the challenge, producing approximately 37 paintings, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than 1m ft of film that never made it into the final cut, crafting an art installation that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Accounts suggest the director dug deep into the archives to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” 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 hardship he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and moving through to a new series of pieces made from found metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her components straight from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual sculptures that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable venues. With major shows at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of work are ripe for a thorough overview. Early Spring to Summer.

Henri Matisse's *Jazz*: A Symphony of Cut Paper

Anyone familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s actually one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 additional pieces by the artist. The cut paper works represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has rarely received a major show on American 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 all across Europe and more than 200 works in all, this is poised as a major event. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a significant and immersive film-based work by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. As with most of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the everyday realities of transgender existence. The installation is designed as a very engaging experience, with audience members invited to interact with the four moveable screens that show the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature 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 discarded objects to make elaborate, queer-themed sculptures. This exhibition showcases recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how non-verbal communication influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.