Unmissable US Art Exhibitions Arriving in 2026

Spanning Renaissance masters to pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a renowned Latin American film-maker, galleries as well as galleries across the US are preparing a series of spectacular exhibitions coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back during 2023, now just a placeholder listing on a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of a pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The institution plans to utilize its long-held holdings of nearly 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, dozens borrowed works from institutions globally. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area sister institutions, the Legion of Honor along with another, will focus on the Floating City through two linked shows: the former museum will offer a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the prospect of depicting Venice – a theme that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, producing approximately 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

Marking the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of footage that was left out into the final cut, creating an immersive experience that also serves 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 some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and progressing through to a new series of works made from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 1960s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently sources her materials straight from the city environment, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable art spots. With major shows in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s three decades of work are ready for a in-depth survey. Early Spring to Summer.

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 in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as around 50 of Matisse’s other works. The cut paper works represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom received a major show on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring loans from throughout Europe and over 200 works in all, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

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

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive experience, with audience members invited to interact with the four moveable screens that show 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 after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing unconventional materials to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. The show highlights recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show investigates how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, an Arkansas museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.