15 of the Most Anticipated Museum Exhibitions Around the World in 2026

A new year always brings a flurry of anticipation. From new resolutions, travel destinations, and—of course—art exhibitions. Throughout 2026, institutions across the globe will host a variety of showcases ranging from solo retrospectives to impressive group presentations.

1. “Frida: The Making of an Icon” at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

While she may now be known as one of the art world’s most famous artists, Frida Kahlo remained relatively unknown in the mainstream during her lifetime. In this unique retrospective, more than 30 works by the legendary Mexican artist will join 120 more by five generations of artists she inspired in order to dive into her evolution from an unknown to mainstream inspiration.

Through May 17

2. “Metamorphoses” at Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Featuring more than 80 works by masters such as Caravaggio, René Magritte, and Louise Bourgeois, this exhibition explores the enduring influence of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the foundational Latin epic poem detailing the mythical transformations of gods and mortals. Highlights include a rare side-by-side pairing of Auguste Rodin’s marble sculpture Pygmalion and Galatea and Jean-Léon Gérôme’s painting addressing the same subject.

Running February 6 through May 25

3. “Mary Cassatt: An American in Paris” at National Gallery of Art, D.C.

Presented in time with the centennial of her death in 1926, this exhibition brings together the institution’s grand collection of Impressionist legend Mary Cassatt’s work. Featuring around 40 works ranging from paintings to works on paper as well as rarely seen color prints, each piece has been carefully selected to reflect the wealth of inspiration Cassatt experienced through her stay in City of Lights.

Running February 14 through August 30

4. “Tracey Emin: A Second Life” at Tate Modern, London

Renowned for her provocative and personal explorations of pain, love, and womanhood, Tracey Emin is celebrated in her largest survey to date, closely curated with the artist herself. Ranging from intimate drawings to monumental installations, this ambitious show follows the raw, irreverent works that have shaped her career, from her legendary solo debut at White Cube in 1993 to her current status as a contemporary icon.

Running February 26 through August 31

5. “Carol Bove” at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York

Taking over the institution’s famed rotunda, this major retrospective marks the first museum survey and largest presentation to date of American artist Carol Bove. Tracing the entirety of her 25-year career, the famed space will be filled with pieces starting with early drawings to her well known steel compositions known as “collage sculptures.”

Running March 5 through August 2

6. “Korean National Treasures: 2,000 Years of Art” at Art Institute Chicago

Marking a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see, for the very first time, rare artworks and treasures once privately held, this remarkable exhibition features 140 artworks on view—including modern and historical painting, ceramics, and objects made for Buddhist worship and scholarly study—22 which have been officially recognized as National Treasures or Treasures by the Korean government. 

Running March 7 through July 5

7. “Whitney Biennial 2026” at Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

Always one of the most exciting art happenings to take place in New York City, the 82nd edition of the Whitney Biennial will bring together works from the likes of 56 artists, duos, and collectives all addressing themes and matters most impacting the world today.

Running March 8 through August 23

8. “Matisse: 1941-1954” at Grand Palais, Paris

Before his passing in 1954, French master Henri Matisse dedicated his final years to further practicing his love of art, where he began experimenting with unfamiliar mediums such as cut-out gouaches. This exhibition traces Matisse’s final years through more than 230 paintings, drawings, cut-outs, stained glass, and more on display.

Running March 24 through July 26

9. “Isamu Noguchi: ‘I Am Not a Designer’” at High Museum of Art, Atlanta

Equally influential as an artist and designer, Isamu Noguchi crafted unprecedented examples of architecture, lighting, furniture, and landscape design in his distinct blend of Western and Eastern aesthetics. Encompassing nearly 200 objects, such as the recently rediscovered plaster model of his colossal unrealized project, Play Mountain (1933), which hasn’t been shown publicly in almost a century, this retrospective marks the 50th anniversary of Noguchi’s Playscapes, a dynamic Atlanta children’s playground composed of abstract structures that inspire imagination.

Running April 10 through August 2

10. “Marcel Duchamp” at Museum of Modern Art, New York

Offering an extensive inside look at the mind of one of the art world’s most intriguing talents, around 300 artworks will be on display in celebration of the artist’s first United States retrospective since 1973. Highlights include his notorious Fountain (1917) sculpture, painted on glass The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass) (1915–23), and painting Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2) (1912).

Running April 12 through August 22

11. “Peggy Guggenheim in London: The Making of a Collector” at Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice

Known as a profoundly influential collector and art patron, this eponymous institution will host a first-of-its-kind presentation showcasing the depth of Peggy Guggenheim’s connection to artists and her presence within influential circles. Among the collection on view will be masterpieces from the likes of giants and personal friends such as Eileen Agar, Salvador Dalí, Barbara Hepworth, Kandinsky, Rita Kernn-Larsen, Piet Mondrian, Henry Moore, Cedric Morris, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, and many others.

Running April 25 through October 19

12. “Keith Haring in 3D” at Crystal Bridges Museum, Bentonville, Arkansas

The first exhibition of its kind to reimagine the famed works of artist Keith Haring, some of the artist’s lesser-known works receive overdue spotlight in this sweeping showcase that pushes past the two-dimensional world. In addition to his paintings on found street objects, an array of sculptures made of materials including wood and metal will showcase the full breadth of this late artist’s inventive mind.

Running June 6 through January 25, 2027

13. “Anish Kapoor” at Hayward Gallery, London

Staged nearly 30 years to the date of his first UK survey at the very same institution, one of the world’s most renowned artists returns to take over Hayward Gallery with a series of familiar and new works to take over the entire space from ceiling to floor. In addition to smaller works, the artist’s larger-than-life works such as his recent 2024 Blinded by Eyes, Butchered by Birth and 1992 Descent into Limbo will be on view.

Running June 16 through October 18

14. “Georgia O’Keeffe: Architecture” at Detroit Institute of Arts

Despite perhaps best known for her floral works, Georgia O’Keeffe’s rebellious spirit transcended through multiple subjects which broached multiple phases of her life. In this unique exhibition, 35 architectural paintings created from the 1920s-1960s draw on her expertise in line-work and geometry through mesmerizing depictions of New York City skyscrapers, adobe homes of New Mexico, and beyond.

Running September 13 through January 3, 2027

15. “Sophie Calle” at Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin

Celebrating the anniversary of Berlin’s beloved institution, conceptual artist Sophie Calle presents a major solo exhibition that brings together works made specifically in Berlin with treasures highlighting mediums including writing, photography, film, and installation.

Running November 13 through May 2, 2027