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Spanning Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a renowned Mexican director, galleries as well as institutions across the United States are preparing a series of dazzling shows on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, now merely a placeholder listing on a major museum's website, this major retrospective of one of the central creators of the pop art movement carries significant expectations. The institution will be drawing on its long-held holdings of close to 500 works from Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens borrowed works from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue and another, will be centering Venice through two interconnected shows: the former museum will offer a celebration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, and the latter zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. The artist was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a theme that had captivated the world’s most esteemed artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately rose to the task, creating some 37 paintings, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the quarter-century of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than a million feet of film that never made it of the released movie, creating an immersive experience that doubles as a homage to film. Accounts suggest the director delved into the archives 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 some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a major career survey, beginning with her early works and progressing all the way up to a fresh series of pieces made from found metal and steel tubing. Drawing from “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove often sources her components directly from the urban landscape, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable art spots. Having had significant exhibitions at the MoMA and a Parisian institution, her three decades of work are ripe for a in-depth overview. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Those who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with 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 volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute will display the complete set 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. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom been honored with a major show on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from all across Europe and over 200 works in all, this is poised as a major event. 29 March–28 June.

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

NYC’s queer art museum will host a major, large-scale film-based work by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the everyday realities of trans life. The installation promises to be a very engaging piece, with visitors encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that display the central film. 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 native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition highlights new work based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of using reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are socialized to inhabit space differently, this exhibition examines how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue displays the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.