🔗 Share this article The Most Exciting US Art Exhibitions Coming in 2026 Spanning old masters and pop artists, contemporary greats and even a renowned Mexican director, galleries as well as institutions across the United States are preparing a series of dazzling shows on the horizon in 2026. Roy Lichtenstein First revealed all the way back during 2023, and currently just a placeholder listing on a major museum's online schedule, this expansive survey of one of the central creators of the pop art movement comes with significant anticipation. The museum plans to utilize its decades-old collection of nearly 500 works by Lichtenstein, as well as, presumably, numerous loans from institutions globally. TBD 2026. Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice Bay Area sister institutions, one prestigious venue along with another, will focus on the Floating City through two interconnected shows: the former museum presents a celebration of the city as a source of high art for hundreds of years, and the latter zooms in on what the Impressionist Claude Monet thought of the romantic city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a subject that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually met the challenge, producing some 37 paintings, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. 6 January-2 August and Spring into Summer. Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu A visual from the artistic project. Courtesy: Artist's Archive Celebrating the 25th anniversary of his massive debut film, *Amores Perros*, director Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits over a million feet of film that was left out of the final cut, creating an art installation that also serves as a homage to celluloid. Reportedly Iñárritu delved into the vaults to create what he described as “not a tribute, but a resurrection” of a cherished films. It's possible the exhibit will evoke some of the hope that runs through Iñárritu’s film in spite of the pain he also chronicles. 22 February-26 July. The Sculptural World of Carol Bove The Guggenheim is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculpture and installation artist a major career survey, starting with her early works and progressing through to a new collection of works fashioned from found metal and steel tubing. Inspired by “the 60s” and Minimalist art, Bove frequently takes her materials straight from the city environment, producing intriguing and unusual constructions that have been displayed in some of the country’s most notable art spots. Having had major shows at the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, her three decades of creation are ready for a in-depth survey. 5 March–2 August. Henri Matisse's *Jazz*: A Symphony of Cut Paper Henri Matisse - *Horse, Rider, and Clown* from *Jazz*, 1947. Credit: Museum Collection Anyone familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s cut-out *Icarus* – this is in fact one of 20 cut-paper works that he combined with text and published as a volume titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s cut-paper maquettes – the first such showing after the museum obtained the works in 1948 – plus some 50 of Matisse’s other works. These creations were part of a late stage flowering for Matisse. March through early Summer. Raphael: Master of the Renaissance The great painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom received a large-scale exhibition on US soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this massive exhibition. Raphael is famous for iconic works like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With loans from all across Europe and more than 200 works total, this promises to be a blockbuster show. 29 March–28 June. Shu Lea Cheang's *Lover Love*: An Interactive Vision An artistic creation by the artist. Credit: Gallery A New York queer art museum presents a significant and immersive video installation by Taiwanese-American artist and director Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. In keeping with much of her work, Cheang in this piece explores the everyday realities of transgender existence. Lover Love is designed as a very engaging piece, with audience members invited to interact with the multiple movable screens that display 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 native Uganda after being outed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is known for transforming unconventional materials to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed assemblages. This exhibition showcases recent pieces based on the concept of queer weddings. It extends her longstanding practice of employing found items as a symbolic act of resistance. Late Summer 2026 into early 2027. Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power Study from the artist's seminal work. Courtesy: Example Museum Building on the pioneering work of German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are conditioned to use physical space differently, this show investigates how body language influences unspoken interaction. Wex’s research included art as old as 2000 BC. Here, Wex’s explorations are displayed and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027. Additional Highlights for 2026 In February, the Seattle Art Museum celebrates the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, a prominent gallery is highlighting the work of up and coming artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum revisits 80s graffiti artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. Come fall, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a selection of the artist's architectural studies. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of artist Kim Chong Hak.