The Most Exciting American Gallery Shows Arriving in 2026

Spanning old masters to pop artists, contemporary greats and even a major Latin American film-maker, galleries and galleries throughout the US have some dazzling shows coming up in 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced several years ago during 2023, and currently merely a mostly empty page on a major museum's online schedule, this major retrospective of a pioneering figures of the pop art movement carries some pretty heavy expectations. The institution will be drawing on its long-held collection of nearly 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, in addition to, presumably, dozens borrowed works from collections globally. TBD 2026.

Venetian Visions: From Old Masters to Monet

Bay Area partner museums, the Legion of Honor and deYoung, will focus on the Floating City through two interconnected exhibitions: the former museum presents a celebration of the city as a source of high art throughout the centuries, and the latter zooms in on what impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. Monet himself felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a theme that had inspired the most revered artists for hundreds of years – yet he ultimately met the challenge, producing 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

Marking the quarter-century of his groundbreaking first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu returns to more than a million feet of film that was left out of the final cut, creating 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. It's possible the exhibit will instil a sense of optimism that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he simultaneously documents. 22 February-26 July.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

The Guggenheim will give the mixed media sculptor artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and moving through to a fresh series of pieces fashioned from scrap metal and industrial materials. Inspired by “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove frequently takes her materials directly from the urban landscape, creating intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in prestigious art spots. With significant exhibitions at Museum of Modern Art and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s three decades of creation are ready for a thorough survey. Early Spring to Summer.

Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color

Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* may recognize French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – it’s actually one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits the complete set 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. The cut paper works were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. 7 March-1 June.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the renowned titans of Renaissance Italy – yet he has rarely been honored with a major show 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 throughout Europe and over 200 works total, this promises to be a blockbuster show. Late March through June.

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

A New York queer art museum will host a significant and immersive video installation by transmedia artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a major figure in new media art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang here investigates the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love promises to be a very engaging piece, with audience members invited to play around with the multiple movable screens that show the central film. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

A Boston contemporary art center 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 recognized for deconstructing unconventional materials to make intricate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. This exhibition highlights new work based on the theme of queer weddings. This continues her ongoing project of employing reclaimed materials as a symbolic act of resistance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Building on the foundational research of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how genders are conditioned to inhabit space differently, this show investigates how body language influences unconscious interaction. Wex’s research included art dating back to 2000 BC. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and put into conversation with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. 20 September–Spring 2027.

Additional Highlights for 2026

Early in the year, a Pacific Northwest institution celebrates the evocative shadow-based work of an emerging artist. Starting 5 March, an art gallery is featuring the work of up and coming Black artist an innovative creator. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his sculptural works. Come fall, a Michigan museum will show a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. And also in September, the Phoenix Art Museum displays the colorful work of artist Kim Chong Hak.