Unmissable US Art Exhibitions Coming in 2026

From old masters and contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a major Mexican film-maker, art museums as well as galleries across the US are preparing a series of spectacular shows on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back during 2023, now merely a mostly empty page on The Whitney’s website, this expansive survey of a central creators of the Pop Art era carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old collection of nearly 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, numerous borrowed works from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with another, will be centering Venice through two linked exhibitions: one location will offer a celebration of the city as a source of high art for hundreds of years, 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 painting Venice – a theme that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately met the challenge, creating approximately 37 canvases, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over a million feet of footage that was left out into the final cut, creating an immersive experience that doubles as a love letter to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu dug deep into the archives to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the exhibit will instil some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her initial pieces and progressing through to a fresh series of works made from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often sources her components straight from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable venues. With significant exhibitions at the MoMA and a Parisian institution, her thirty years of creation are ripe for a thorough survey. 5 March–2 August.

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

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *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, a Midwestern museum exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 additional pieces by the artist. The cut paper works were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of Renaissance Italy – but he has rarely received a major show on US soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from all across Europe and over 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 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 in this piece explores the daily struggles of trans life. The installation is designed as a highly interactive piece, with visitors encouraged to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature recent creations from this artist, who was compelled to leave her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, queer-themed assemblages. The show showcases recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of using reclaimed materials as a meaningful gesture 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 studied how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the evocative shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of rising artist an innovative creator. During the summer, an Arkansas museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, a Michigan museum will show a selection of the artist's architectural studies. And also in September, an Arizona venue exhibits the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.