Unmissable American Art Exhibitions Arriving in 2026

Spanning Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, contemporary greats and even a renowned Latin American director, art museums and galleries across the United States are preparing a series of dazzling shows on the horizon for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago during 2023, now just a mostly empty page at The Whitney’s online schedule, this major retrospective of a pioneering figures of the pop art movement comes with significant anticipation. The museum will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of nearly 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens loans from institutions globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco partner museums, the Legion of Honor and deYoung, will be centering Venice through two linked shows: one location will offer a exploration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years, while the other will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made 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 – yet he ultimately rose to the task, creating some 37 paintings, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and 21 March-26 July.

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

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to over a million feet of footage that was left out of the released movie, crafting an art installation that doubles as a love letter to film. Accounts suggest the director delved into the archives to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. Perhaps the exhibit will instil a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film in spite of the hardship he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the mixed media sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and progressing all the way up to a new collection of works fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her components straight from the urban landscape, producing fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in prestigious art spots. With significant exhibitions in Museum of Modern Art and a Parisian institution, Bove’s three decades of creation are ripe for a in-depth survey. 5 March–2 August.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and published as 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 since the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus some 50 additional pieces by the artist. These creations represented 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 celebrated masters of Renaissance Italy – yet he has rarely been honored with a major show on US soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from throughout Europe and more than 200 works in all, this promises to be a major event. Late March through June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

NYC’s queer art museum will host a major, large-scale video installation by transmedia artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang here explores the daily struggles of trans life. The installation promises to be a very engaging piece, with audience members invited to play around with the four moveable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature new work from this artist, who was forced to flee her native Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming discarded objects to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition highlights new work based on the theme of same-sex marriage. This continues her ongoing project of using found items as a meaningful gesture of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who analyzed how men and women are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this exhibition examines how body language influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are displayed and put into conversation with the work of modern diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the haunting silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of rising Black artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. And also in September, an Arizona venue exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.