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From Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a major Mexican director, galleries as well as institutions throughout the US have a series of dazzling exhibitions on the horizon in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, and currently just a mostly empty page at a major museum's online schedule, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The institution plans to utilize its decades-old collection of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens loans from collections around the world. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area partner museums, one prestigious venue along with another, will be centering the Floating City through two linked shows: one location presents a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, while the other will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of painting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, producing approximately 37 canvases, 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

Celebrating the quarter-century of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over a million feet of footage that was left out of the released movie, creating an art installation that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu dug deep into the archives to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. It's possible the exhibit will evoke a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and progressing through to a new collection of works made from scrap metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often sources her components directly from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual sculptures that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable venues. With significant exhibitions at the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of creation are ripe for a thorough overview. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone who know the book *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute will display all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing since the museum obtained 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. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from all across Europe and more than 200 works total, this is poised as a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

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

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of trans life. The installation promises to be a very engaging piece, with visitors invited to interact with the multiple movable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center showcases recent creations from this artist, who was compelled to leave her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming discarded objects to make elaborate, queer-themed sculptures. The show highlights recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of using found items as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are socialized to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the haunting silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, a Michigan museum presents a collection of the artist's architecture paintings. And also in September, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.