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Spanning old masters to pop artists, contemporary greats and even a renowned Latin American director, art museums as well as institutions throughout the US have a series of dazzling shows coming up for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed all the way back during 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing at a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries significant expectations. The institution will be drawing on its long-held holdings of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens loans from institutions around the world. Dates to be announced 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area partner museums, one prestigious venue and another, will focus on Venice through two interconnected shows: the former museum presents a celebration of the city as a source of high art for hundreds of years, while the other will focus on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the enchanting city of canals. The artist was daunted by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, producing some 37 paintings, among them the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

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

Celebrating the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than a million feet of film that was left out into the released movie, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a love letter to celluloid. Reportedly the director dug deep into the vaults to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of one of his most beloved films. Perhaps the exhibit will instil a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the mixed media sculpture and installation artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and progressing through to a fresh series of works made from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove frequently takes her components straight from the urban landscape, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable art spots. Having had significant exhibitions in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s three decades of creation are ready for a in-depth 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* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and bound into a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition 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. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has rarely received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum seeks to change that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from all across Europe and more than 200 works in all, this is poised as a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

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

NYC’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a significant and immersive film-based work by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with most of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the everyday realities of trans life. The installation is designed as a highly interactive experience, with visitors invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that display the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center showcases new work from this artist, who was compelled to leave her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing unconventional materials to make intricate, queer-themed assemblages. The show highlights recent pieces based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of employing found items as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Building on the foundational research of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show examines how body language shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s studies included art dating back to ancient sculptures. Here, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of modern Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring with a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a selection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the colorful work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.