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Spanning Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries alongside a renowned Latin American film-maker, galleries and galleries across the US have a series of spectacular exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page on The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of a pioneering figures of the pop art movement comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The museum will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, numerous borrowed works from institutions around the world. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area sister institutions, one prestigious venue along with deYoung, will focus on the Floating City through two interconnected exhibitions: 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 made of the enchanting city of canals. The artist was daunted by the prospect of depicting Venice – a theme that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately met the challenge, creating approximately 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of film that never made it of the final cut, creating an immersive experience that doubles 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 a cherished films. It's possible the installation will instil a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he simultaneously documents. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculptor creator a major career survey, starting with her early works and moving all the way up to a fresh collection of pieces made from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her components straight from the city environment, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in prestigious art spots. Having had major shows at Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s thirty years of creation are ready for a in-depth overview. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations were part of a prolific final chapter 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 titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has rarely been honored with a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from throughout 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

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a significant and immersive film-based work by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation is designed as a highly interactive experience, with audience members encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center will feature recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, queer-themed sculptures. The show showcases recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. It extends her longstanding practice of employing 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 German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how non-verbal communication influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the evocative silhouette art of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of rising artist an innovative creator. During the summer, an Arkansas museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of the artist's architectural studies. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.