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Spanning old masters to pop artists, contemporary greats and even a major Mexican director, galleries and institutions across the United States have some spectacular shows coming up in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back in 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing at a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the central creators of the pop art movement comes with some pretty heavy expectations. The museum plans to utilize its long-held collection of close to 500 works from Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from institutions around the world. TBD 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area partner museums, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will focus on Venice through two interconnected shows: the former museum presents a exploration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the challenge of painting Venice – a subject that had inspired the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately rose to the task, producing some 37 paintings, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

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

Celebrating the quarter-century of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over a million feet of film that was left out of the final cut, creating an art installation that doubles as a love letter to film. Accounts suggest the director delved into the archives to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. Perhaps the exhibit will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the mixed media sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, starting with her initial pieces and progressing all the way up to a fresh series of pieces made from scrap metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often sources her materials straight from the city environment, creating intriguing and unusual sculptures that have been displayed in prestigious venues. With major shows in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her thirty years of work are ripe 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* – it’s actually one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and bound into 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 – plus some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of Renaissance Italy – 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 well-known for masterpieces 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's *Lover Love*: An Interactive Vision

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a significant and immersive video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang here explores the daily struggles of trans life. Lover Love is designed as a very engaging piece, with audience members invited to interact with the multiple movable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center showcases 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 recognized for deconstructing unconventional materials to make intricate, queer-themed assemblages. This exhibition showcases recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. This continues her ongoing project of employing reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Building on the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show investigates how non-verbal communication influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies spanned art as old as ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of modern diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the evocative silhouette art of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, an art 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 three-dimensional works. In September, a Michigan museum presents a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.