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From Renaissance masters and pop artists, contemporary greats and even a major Latin American film-maker, art museums and institutions across the United States have a series of dazzling shows on the horizon for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

First revealed several years ago in 2023, now just a placeholder listing at The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of a central creators of the Pop Art era comes with significant expectations. The institution will be drawing on its long-held holdings of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, dozens loans from collections around the world. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area partner museums, the Legion of Honor along with another, will focus on the Floating City through two linked shows: one location presents a exploration of the city as an engine of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, while the other zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the enchanting city of canals. Monet himself was daunted by the prospect of depicting Venice – a theme that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – yet he ultimately rose to the task, creating some 37 canvases, including the masterpiece *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

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

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than 1m ft of film that never made it of the released movie, creating an art installation that doubles as a homage to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu dug deep into the vaults to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. It's possible the installation will evoke a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

Carol Bove

The Guggenheim is dedicating the mixed media sculptor artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and moving through to a fresh collection of pieces fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove often sources her components straight from the urban landscape, creating fascinating and strange sculptures that have appeared in prestigious venues. With major shows at Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s thirty years of work are ripe for a thorough survey. 5 March–2 August.

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

Anyone who know the book *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and bound into a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, a Midwestern museum will display all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – as well as around 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 painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned masters of the Italian Renaissance – yet he has rarely been honored with a major show on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is well-known for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this promises to be a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s queer art museum presents a major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. In keeping with most of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a highly interactive piece, with audience members encouraged to interact with the four moveable screens that show the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

A Boston contemporary art center showcases recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, queer-themed sculptures. This exhibition highlights recent pieces based on the concept of same-sex marriage. This continues her longstanding practice of using reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of defiance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Building on the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show examines how non-verbal communication shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of contemporary diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the evocative silhouette art of an emerging artist. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming 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, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a selection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.