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Spanning old masters to pop artists, contemporary greats alongside a renowned Latin American film-maker, art museums and galleries across the US are preparing a series of dazzling shows coming up in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page at a major museum's website, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement comes with significant anticipation. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old collection of nearly 500 works from Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, dozens loans from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with deYoung, will focus on Venice with two linked exhibitions: one location presents a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, while the other zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the prospect of depicting Venice – a theme that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually met the challenge, creating some 37 canvases, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the 25th anniversary of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of film that was left out into the final cut, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a love letter to film. Accounts suggest Iñárritu delved into the archives to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the installation will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation creator a comprehensive retrospective, beginning 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 components straight from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual sculptures that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable art spots. With significant exhibitions in Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, her thirty years of work are ready for a thorough survey. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is actually one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus some 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – yet he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American 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*. 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: Lover Love

A New York queer art museum will host a major, large-scale film-based work by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang here explores the daily struggles of trans life. The installation is designed as a very engaging piece, with audience members encouraged to interact with the multiple movable screens that show the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center will feature recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her home country of Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing unconventional materials to make elaborate, queer-themed sculptures. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how non-verbal communication influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of rising artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, a Michigan museum will show a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.