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From old masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a renowned Latin American director, galleries and institutions throughout the United States have a series of spectacular exhibitions on the horizon for 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 major retrospective of one of the central creators of the pop art movement carries significant expectations. The institution will be drawing on its long-held collection of nearly 500 works from Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, dozens loans 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 Venice through two interconnected exhibitions: the former museum presents a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the challenge of painting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually met the challenge, creating approximately 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

Alejandro G Iñárritu's *Sueño Perro*: A Cinematic Resurrection

Marking the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of footage that never made it of the final cut, crafting an art installation that doubles as a love letter to film. Reportedly Iñárritu dug deep into the vaults to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. It's possible the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and moving through to a fresh series of pieces made from scrap metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her components straight from the city environment, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in prestigious venues. Having had major shows in the MoMA and a Parisian institution, her thirty years of creation are ripe for a thorough overview. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Those who know the book *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 combined with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – 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

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has rarely been honored with a major show on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from throughout Europe and over 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

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

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a major, large-scale film-based work by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang here investigates the everyday realities of transgender existence. The installation is designed as a highly interactive piece, with visitors encouraged to interact with the multiple movable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming unconventional materials to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition showcases recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of employing found items as a meaningful gesture of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed 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 dating back to ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the evocative shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming artist an innovative creator. During the summer, an Arkansas museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.