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From old masters and pop artists, modern visionaries alongside a renowned Mexican film-maker, art museums and galleries across the United States have some dazzling shows on the horizon in 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago during 2023, and currently merely a mostly empty page on a major museum's website, this major retrospective of a central creators of the Pop Art era carries significant expectations. The institution will be drawing on its long-held collection of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, in addition to, one would imagine, numerous borrowed works from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

San Francisco sister institutions, one prestigious venue along with another, will be centering the Floating City through two linked exhibitions: one location will offer a exploration of the city as an engine of high art for hundreds of years, and the latter will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. The artist was daunted by the challenge of depicting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for hundreds of years – but he eventually met the challenge, creating some 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his groundbreaking debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over 1m ft of footage that was left out of the final cut, crafting an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu delved into the archives to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. It's possible the exhibit will instil a sense of optimism that runs through Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

Carol Bove

A major New York museum will give the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation artist a major career survey, starting with her initial pieces and moving through to a fresh collection of pieces made from found metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 60s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her components directly from the city environment, creating fascinating and strange sculptures that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable art spots. With significant exhibitions at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of work are ready for a thorough survey. Early Spring to Summer.

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

Those who know a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – it’s in fact one of 20 paper compositions that he combined with text and bound into a volume 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 – plus some 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations represented a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino stood alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of Renaissance Italy – yet he has rarely been honored with a major show on American soil. New York’s Metropolitan Museum aims to rectify that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. Featuring works from throughout Europe and over 200 works in all, this is poised as a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang: Lover Love

A New York queer art museum presents a major, large-scale film-based work by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece 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 multiple movable screens that show the core footage. Spring 2026 through early 2027.

Leilah Babirye: Reclamation and Defiance

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature recent creations from this artist, who was forced to flee her home country of 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 showcases new work based on the concept of same-sex marriage. It extends her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space

Expanding upon the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are conditioned to use physical space differently, this exhibition examines how body language shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s research spanned art dating back to 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are displayed and put into conversation with the work of modern diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, a Pacific Northwest institution showcases the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is featuring the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. During the summer, an Arkansas museum reexamines 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring with a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts will show a selection of the artist's architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.