Unmissable American Art Exhibitions Coming in 2026

From old masters to contemporary icons, contemporary greats alongside a renowned Mexican film-maker, art museums as well as galleries throughout the US have some dazzling shows coming up for 2026.

The Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago in 2023, and currently merely a placeholder listing on a major museum's website, this expansive survey of a pioneering figures of the Pop Art era carries some pretty heavy anticipation. The institution plans to utilize its decades-old collection of nearly 500 works 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

San Francisco partner museums, the Legion of Honor along with deYoung, will focus on the Floating City through two linked shows: one location will offer a celebration of the city as a source of artistic inspiration throughout the centuries, while the other zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had captivated the most revered artists for centuries – yet he ultimately met the challenge, producing some 37 canvases, including the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Celebrating the quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over a million feet of footage that was left out of the final cut, creating an immersive experience that also serves as a homage to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu dug deep into the archives to create what he called “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. Perhaps the exhibit 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

A major New York museum will give the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a major career survey, beginning with her initial pieces and moving through to a new series of pieces made from found metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove often sources her materials straight from the city environment, producing fascinating and strange sculptures that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable art spots. With significant exhibitions in Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of creation are ready for a in-depth survey. Early Spring to Summer.

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* – it’s actually one of 20 paper compositions that he paired with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. This spring, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits the complete set of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – an unprecedented exhibition since 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

The great artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated masters of the Italian Renaissance – but he has rarely received a major show on US soil. A premier East Coast institution seeks to change that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from throughout Europe and more than 200 works total, this promises to be a major event. 29 March–28 June.

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

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art presents a major, large-scale video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in new media art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the daily struggles of transgender existence. The installation promises to be a highly interactive piece, with visitors invited to play around with the four moveable screens that display 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 compelled to leave her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for deconstructing discarded objects to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. The show showcases new work based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her longstanding practice of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of defiance. 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 studied how genders are socialized to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how non-verbal communication shapes unspoken interaction. Wex’s research spanned art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s findings are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary diverse artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the haunting silhouette art of Samantha Yun Wall. Starting 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. During the summer, an Arkansas museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, an Arizona venue exhibits the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.