The Most Exciting US Art Exhibitions Coming in 2026

From Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a renowned Mexican director, art museums and galleries across the US are preparing a series of spectacular exhibitions coming up in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, and currently just a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the Pop Art era comes with significant expectations. The museum will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces from Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, numerous borrowed works from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco partner museums, the Legion of Honor along with another, will be centering Venice with two interconnected shows: one location presents a exploration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, while the other zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. The artist was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, creating some 37 paintings, including the renowned work *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*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of film that was left out of the final cut, creating an art installation that also serves as a homage to celluloid. Accounts suggest the director dug deep into the vaults to create what he described as “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. It's possible the installation will evoke some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and moving through to a fresh collection of pieces fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often sources her components directly from the urban landscape, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable venues. Having had significant exhibitions in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of creation are ready for a thorough overview. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone familiar with the book *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 paired with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing since the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has rarely been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from all across Europe and over 200 works total, this promises to be a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang here explores the everyday realities of transgender existence. The installation promises to be a highly interactive experience, with audience members encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that show the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center 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 transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition showcases new work based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice of employing found items as a meaningful gesture of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show examines how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies included art dating back to ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are displayed and put into conversation with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, a Michigan museum presents a selection of the artist's architecture paintings. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue displays the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.