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Spanning old masters and pop artists, contemporary greats and even a renowned Latin American film-maker, galleries and institutions throughout the US have a series of spectacular shows coming up for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, and currently just a mostly empty page at a major museum's online schedule, this major retrospective of a pioneering figures of the pop art movement comes with significant expectations. The museum plans to utilize its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, numerous borrowed works from institutions around the world. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, the Legion of Honor along with another, will be centering Venice with two linked exhibitions: one location will offer a exploration of the city as an engine of high art for hundreds of years, while the other zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the challenge of painting Venice – a theme that had captivated the most revered artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually met the challenge, producing approximately 37 paintings, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

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

Marking the quarter-century of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over a million feet of film that never made it of the final cut, creating an immersive experience that doubles as a love letter to film. Accounts suggest the director delved into the vaults to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the installation will evoke some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and progressing through to a fresh series of works fashioned from scrap metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often sources her components directly from the urban landscape, creating fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable art spots. With major shows at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s three decades of creation are ready for a in-depth survey. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *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, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing since the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 additional pieces by the artist. The cut paper works represented a prolific final chapter 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 renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – yet he has rarely received a major show on American 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*. With loans from all across Europe and over 200 works in all, this is poised as a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

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

NYC’s queer art museum will host a significant and immersive film-based work 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 explores the everyday realities of trans life. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive piece, with audience members encouraged to interact with the four moveable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming discarded objects to make intricate, queer-themed assemblages. This exhibition highlights new work based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her ongoing project of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show examines how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. In September, a Michigan museum presents a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.