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From Renaissance masters and contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a major Latin American director, galleries and galleries throughout the US have some spectacular exhibitions coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, and currently merely a mostly empty page on a major museum's online schedule, this major retrospective of one of the pioneering figures of the Pop Art era comes with some pretty heavy anticipation. The institution plans to utilize its decades-old collection of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, numerous loans from collections around the world. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area partner museums, the Legion of Honor and another, will be centering Venice through two interconnected exhibitions: one location will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of high art for hundreds of years, while the other zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the prospect of depicting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately met the challenge, producing approximately 37 canvases, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

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

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of film that was left out of the released movie, creating an art installation that doubles as a homage to film. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the vaults to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. Perhaps the installation will instil some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation artist a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing through to a new collection of works made from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove frequently takes her materials directly from the urban landscape, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable venues. With major shows at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her thirty years of creation are ripe for a in-depth overview. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those 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. This spring, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of the Italian Renaissance – but he has rarely been honored with a major show on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from throughout Europe and over 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a major, large-scale film-based work by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang here explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a very engaging experience, with audience members invited to interact with the four moveable screens that show the core footage. 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 forced to flee her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, queer-themed sculptures. The show highlights recent pieces based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition investigates how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of rising Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of the artist's architectural studies. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.