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From old masters to pop artists, modern visionaries and even a renowned Mexican director, galleries as well as institutions throughout the United States are preparing a series of dazzling shows coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, now just a placeholder listing on a major museum's online schedule, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the pop art movement comes with significant anticipation. The museum plans to utilize its long-held collection of nearly 500 works from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco partner museums, the Legion of Honor and another, will focus on the Floating City with two interconnected exhibitions: one location will offer a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, while the other zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a theme that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately met the challenge, creating some 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the quarter-century of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than 1m ft of footage that was left out into the final cut, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to celluloid. Reportedly the director 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 exhibit will evoke a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a comprehensive retrospective, starting with her early works and moving through to a new series of works made from scrap metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove often takes her materials directly from the city environment, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have been displayed in prestigious venues. With major shows in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s thirty years of creation are ripe for a in-depth survey. 5 March–2 August.

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* – it’s actually one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute will display all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – plus some 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for iconic works 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 blockbuster show. Late March through June.

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

NYC’s queer art museum presents a significant and immersive film-based work by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive experience, with visitors invited to play around with the multiple movable 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 forced to flee her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for transforming discarded objects to make elaborate, queer-themed assemblages. This exhibition showcases recent pieces based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of using reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are socialized to inhabit space differently, this exhibition examines how body language influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are displayed and put into conversation with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates 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. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of the artist's architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.