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From old masters to pop artists, modern visionaries and even a major Mexican director, art museums and galleries throughout the US have some dazzling exhibitions coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back in 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of a central creators of the Pop Art era comes with significant anticipation. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old collection of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from institutions around the world. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will focus on the Floating City through two interconnected shows: the former museum presents a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually met the challenge, producing some 37 canvases, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the quarter-century of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of film that never made it into the final cut, creating an immersive experience that also serves as a homage 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 exhibit will evoke a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and moving through to a new collection of pieces made from scrap metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often sources her components straight from the urban landscape, creating intriguing and unusual sculptures that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. Having had significant exhibitions at Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s thirty years of creation are ready for a in-depth overview. 5 March–2 August.

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

Those familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is actually one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from throughout Europe and more than 200 works total, this promises to be 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 film-based work by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the everyday realities of trans life. Lover Love promises to be a highly interactive piece, with audience members invited to play around with the four moveable screens that display the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center showcases 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 discarded objects to make elaborate, queer-themed sculptures. This exhibition showcases new work based on the theme of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of employing found items as a symbolic act of resistance. 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 genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition investigates how non-verbal communication influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s findings are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. In September, a Michigan museum presents a selection of the artist's architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.