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From Renaissance masters to pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a renowned Mexican film-maker, art museums and institutions across the United States are preparing some dazzling exhibitions on the horizon in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page at a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of a central creators of the pop art movement comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The museum will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of nearly 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, dozens borrowed works from institutions around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area partner museums, one prestigious venue along with another, will be centering the Floating City through two linked shows: the former museum presents a exploration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, and the latter will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately rose to the task, producing approximately 37 paintings, 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 groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of film that was left out of the released movie, crafting an art installation that doubles as a love letter to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu dug deep into the archives to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. It's possible the exhibit will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculptor artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and progressing all the way up to a fresh series of pieces made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently sources her materials straight from the urban landscape, creating intriguing and unusual sculptures that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable venues. Having had significant exhibitions at the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of creation are ready for a in-depth survey. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Those who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing since the museum acquired the works in 1948 – plus around 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom received a major show on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from throughout Europe and more than 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a significant and immersive video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of trans life. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive experience, with audience members encouraged to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the central film. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature new work from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming discarded objects to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of employing found items as a meaningful gesture of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the pioneering work of 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 unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum presents a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.