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Spanning Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a renowned Latin American film-maker, art museums as well as galleries throughout the United States have some dazzling shows coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, and currently just a mostly empty page on The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy expectations. The museum will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, dozens borrowed works from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area sister institutions, the Legion of Honor and another, will focus on the Floating City with two linked shows: one location presents a exploration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. The artist was daunted by the prospect of depicting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately rose to the task, producing some 37 canvases, 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 massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than a million feet of footage that never made it of the final cut, crafting an immersive experience that doubles as a love letter to film. Accounts suggest Iñárritu delved into the vaults to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation creator a major career survey, starting with her initial pieces and moving all the way up to a fresh series of works made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently sources her materials directly from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in prestigious venues. With major shows in Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, her three decades of creation are ripe for a in-depth survey. 5 March–2 August.

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* – this is in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum will display the complete set of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from throughout Europe and more than 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s queer art museum will host a major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation is designed as 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 will feature recent creations from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming unconventional materials to make intricate, queer-themed sculptures. The show showcases recent pieces based on the theme of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of using reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture of defiance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show examines how non-verbal communication influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative silhouette art of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of up and coming Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a selection of the artist's architecture paintings. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.