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From old masters to contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a renowned Latin American film-maker, art museums and institutions throughout the United States are preparing some spectacular shows on the horizon in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back during 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing on a major museum's website, this expansive survey of a central creators of the Pop Art era carries significant anticipation. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of nearly 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, dozens borrowed works from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco partner museums, the Legion of Honor and another, will focus on Venice with two interconnected exhibitions: the former museum will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, while the other will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the challenge of painting Venice – a theme that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually rose to the task, producing some 37 paintings, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

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

Marking the quarter-century of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of film that was left out of the released movie, crafting an art installation that also serves as a homage to film. Accounts suggest the director delved into the vaults to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. It's possible the installation will instil a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the multidisciplinary sculptor creator a major career survey, starting with her initial pieces and moving through to a fresh collection of pieces made from found metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove frequently sources her materials straight from the city environment, creating intriguing and unusual sculptures that have been displayed in prestigious venues. Having had major shows in Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s three decades of creation are ripe for a thorough survey. 5 March–2 August.

Henri Matisse's *Jazz*: A Symphony of Cut Paper

Anyone who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – plus some 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from all across Europe and more than 200 works in all, this promises to be a major event. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang's *Lover Love*: An Interactive Vision

NYC’s queer art museum presents a significant and immersive film-based work by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of trans life. Lover Love is designed as a very engaging piece, with audience members encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that show the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature recent creations 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 transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, queer-themed assemblages. The show showcases new work based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of employing found items as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of rising artist an innovative creator. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a selection of the artist's architecture paintings. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.