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From old masters and pop artists, modern visionaries and even a renowned Mexican director, galleries as well as institutions across the United States have a series of dazzling exhibitions on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, and currently just a mostly empty page on a major museum's website, this major retrospective of a central creators of the Pop Art era comes with significant anticipation. The institution plans to utilize its long-held collection of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue along with deYoung, will be centering Venice with two interconnected shows: one location will offer a exploration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. The artist was daunted by the challenge of painting Venice – a theme that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually rose to the task, creating approximately 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the quarter-century of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of footage that never made it into the released movie, creating an art installation that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Reportedly the director 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 evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the mixed media sculptor creator a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and moving through to a new collection of works fashioned from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove frequently takes her materials directly from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable venues. Having had major shows at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her thirty years of work are ready for a in-depth overview. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone familiar with the book *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum will display the complete set of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as 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: Sublime Poetry

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet 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 famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from throughout Europe and more than 200 works in all, this is poised as a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s queer art museum presents a major, large-scale film-based work by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with much 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 four moveable 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 compelled to leave her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing unconventional materials to make intricate, queer-themed sculptures. The show highlights recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of employing found items as a meaningful gesture of defiance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art dating back to 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed 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 shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a collection of the artist's architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.