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Spanning Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a major Mexican director, art museums and galleries across the US are preparing some spectacular shows coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page at The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of a pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy expectations. The museum plans to utilize its decades-old holdings of close to 500 works from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from collections globally. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and deYoung, will be centering Venice with two interconnected exhibitions: the former museum will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. The artist was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately rose to the task, producing some 37 canvases, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

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

Marking the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than 1m ft of film that never made it of the released movie, creating an immersive experience that doubles as a love letter to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the archives to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the installation will instil a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and moving all the way up to a fresh collection of pieces made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her components straight from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. With major shows in the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s thirty years of work are ready for a thorough survey. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s actually one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum will display 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 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has rarely received a major show on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from throughout Europe and more than 200 works total, this is poised as a major event. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a significant and immersive video installation by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a very engaging piece, with visitors encouraged to interact with the four moveable screens that show 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 native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming unconventional materials to make intricate, queer-themed assemblages. The show showcases new work based on the concept of same-sex marriage. It extends her longstanding practice of using found items as a meaningful gesture of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how non-verbal communication influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies included art dating back to ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the haunting silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of up and coming artist an innovative creator. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a collection of the artist's architecture paintings. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.