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Spanning Renaissance masters to pop artists, contemporary greats and even a major Mexican director, art museums and institutions across the United States are preparing a series of dazzling shows coming up in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back during 2023, and currently merely a mostly empty page at The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey 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 close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, numerous borrowed works from institutions around the world. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue and another, will be centering the Floating City through two linked shows: one location will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of high art for hundreds of years, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the challenge of painting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately rose to the task, producing some 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of film that was left out into the released movie, crafting an art installation that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu delved into the vaults 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 instil some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he simultaneously documents. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and progressing all the way up to a fresh collection of pieces fashioned from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her components directly from the urban landscape, creating intriguing and unusual sculptures that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable art spots. With significant exhibitions in Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s three decades of creation are ripe for a thorough survey. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

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 cut-paper works that he paired with text and bound into 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 – plus around 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has rarely been honored with a major show on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from all across Europe and more than 200 works total, 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 film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the everyday realities of trans life. The installation promises to be a highly interactive experience, with visitors encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that display the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center will feature 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 recognized for deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, queer-themed sculptures. This exhibition showcases new work based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice of using reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show examines how non-verbal communication influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the haunting silhouette art of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, a Michigan museum will show a collection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.