5 essential old masters shows for 2026

Artnet News has published a preview of five essential Old Masters exhibitions scheduled for 2026, spanning museums from Amsterdam to New York. The shows include a blockbuster presentation of Ovid's *Metamorphoses* at the Rijksmuseum and Galleria Borghese, a monographic survey of Swedish sculptor Johan Tobias Sergel at the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and the Morgan Library & Museum in New York, and other exhibitions that connect classical art with contemporary appeal. The article highlights how these exhibitions spotlight both household names like Raphael and lesser-known figures, while also exploring themes from Ovid's myths to tarot imagery.

14 Must-See Museum Shows in New York This Spring

New York museums are launching a significant slate of spring exhibitions, featuring major retrospectives and thematic surveys. Highlights include "Noguchi's New York" at the Noguchi Museum, exploring the sculptor's unrealized urban projects; "Raphael: Sublime Poetry" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a comprehensive look at the Renaissance master; and "Gothic by Design: The Dawn of Architectural Draftsmanship," also at the Met, focusing on medieval architectural drawings.

joel peter witkin photography

Joel-Peter Witkin, the controversial photographer known for his macabre and surreal imagery, is the subject of a new exhibition titled “Joel-Peter Witkin: The World Is Not Enough” at A Gallery for Fine Photography in New Orleans. The show features a wide cross-section of his work, from early pieces like the cadaver-based still life *The Kiss* (1982) to recent works such as *The Soul Has No Gender* (2016), a portrait of a transsexual woman posed as Mary Magdalene. Witkin, a mainstay on artnet’s Top 300 list, personally prints each photograph and continues to explore themes of death, beauty, and the marginalized in society.

The exhibitions to see in New York during Art Week 2026

Le mostre da vedere a New York durante l’Art Week 2026

The article highlights a selection of must-see exhibitions in New York during the 2026 Art Week, spanning major museums and galleries. At MoMA, three shows explore memory, identity, and artistic experimentation: Elizabeth Murray's retrospective on fragmented painting, Naufus Ramírez-Figueroa's works addressing Guatemala's civil war, and Arthur Jafa's curated connections across the museum's collection. The Whitney Museum presents the 82nd Whitney Biennial, featuring 56 artists questioning what it means to be 'American,' alongside an Andy Warhol exhibition of rarely seen polaroids from 1972-73. Hauser & Wirth debuts its first Carol Rama show, highlighting six decades of her experimental, anticonformist art.

america 250th anniversary exhibitions

Museums across the United States are preparing exhibitions to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026. The New York Historical will present "Democracy Matters," opening June 19, 2026, exploring voting, free speech, and land rights through works by Thomas Cole, Mel Chin, and Lady Pink alongside historic documents. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston will debut "America at 250" on the same date, integrating Native and non-Native art with pieces like Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington and a critique by Mohawk artist Alan Michelson. The National Portrait Gallery had planned "Amy Sherald: American Sublime" for September 2025, but Sherald canceled the show over censorship concerns in July 2025. The Philadelphia Museum of Art will host "A Nation of Artists" from April 2026 through September 2027, featuring Frederic Edwin Church's "Pichincha."

us museum shows exhibitions 2026

Artnet News has published a preview of major museum exhibitions scheduled across the United States in 2026, highlighting five standout shows. These include "Renaissance to Runway: The Enduring Italian Houses" at the Cleveland Museum of Art, which examines the intersection of fashion and art from the Renaissance to today; "The One-Two Punch: 100 Years of Robert Colescott" at the Tacoma Art Museum, celebrating the centenary of the artist known for his provocative figurative paintings; "Containing Multitudes" at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, a photography exhibition marking America's 250th year; and "Frida: The Making of an Icon" at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, focusing on Frida Kahlo's enduring legacy.

The 14 Best Art Museum Exhibits in the World in 2026

PaperCity tapped Elaine de Kooning House founder Chris Byrne to curate a list of the 14 best art museum exhibitions worldwide in 2026. Highlights include a major Marcel Duchamp retrospective at MoMA—the first North American survey in over 50 years—featuring nearly 300 works, and Raphael's first comprehensive U.S. exhibition at The Met, titled 'Raphael: Sublime Poetry,' with 200 drawings, paintings, and tapestries. Other notable shows include 'The Shakers: A World in the Making' at ICA Philadelphia and a Guerrilla Girls exhibition at the Getty Center in Los Angeles.

11 Must-See Museum Exhibitions in 2026

Artsy has published a list of 11 must-see museum exhibitions scheduled for 2026, highlighting major retrospectives and biennials. The article opens by reflecting on 2025's trend of amplifying marginalized voices, citing exhibitions like "Paris Noir" at the Centre Pompidou and the Turner Prize win of neurodivergent artist Nnena Kalu. For 2026, the piece notes a shift toward large-scale retrospectives of established figures, including Tracey Emin's "A Second Life" at Tate Modern and "Raphael: Sublime Poetry" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, alongside major biennials such as the 61st Venice Biennale, the 18th Lyon Biennale, and the 16th Gwangju Biennale.

art must see 2026 museum shows

Cultured magazine has published a preview of must-see museum shows for 2026, highlighting exhibitions across the United States. Featured shows include a survey of the late Los Angeles artist Noah Davis at the Philadelphia Art Museum, the first solo New York institutional exhibition in over 35 years for Pat Oleszko at SculptureCenter, a Carol Bove survey at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Biennial 2026, a comprehensive Raphael exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a Lucas Samaras photography show at the Art Institute of Chicago, a Ming Smith exhibition at the Portland Museum of Art, and a Bruce Conner film showcase at the Marciano Art Foundation.

The Multibillion-Dollar Maneuvers Behind the Met’s Raphael Show

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has opened “Raphael: Sublime Poetry,” the largest survey dedicated to the Renaissance master in the U.S., featuring 33 paintings and 142 works on paper. The exhibition includes loans from 60 public institutions across 11 countries, as well as private loans from billionaire Leon Black, and the estimated aggregate value of the art on view is in the billions of dollars. Curated by Carmen Bambach, the show took eight years to organize and follows her previous triumphs on Leonardo and Michelangelo.

In a Show at Stanford, Miljohn Ruperto Trolls the Death Drive of AI Guys

Artist Miljohn Ruperto's exhibition at Stanford's Cantor Arts Center features works that critically engage with AI and technology. His piece *Fathoms (Tartarapelagic)* uses AI to generate images of deep-sea creatures from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, while highlighting that mining the minerals essential for that same AI technology is destroying their real-world habitats.

olga de amaral wove her own path at 92 the art world is catching up

The nonagenarian Colombian fiber artist Olga de Amaral, now 92, is the subject of a major retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, following its debut at the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain in Paris in 2024. The exhibition, on view through October 12, 2025, features works spanning her entire career, from the 1950s to the present, and includes pieces that blend ancient and futuristic aesthetics, often incorporating gold shimmer and woven density. Curated by Marie Perennès and Stephanie Seidel, the show highlights Amaral's pioneering role in textile art, a medium historically marginalized as craft rather than fine art.

The Best Exhibitions to See in Paris Right Now

Les meilleures expos du moment à voir à Paris

Beaux Arts Magazine has published a guide to the best current exhibitions in Paris for spring 2026, highlighting major shows such as "Martin Parr. Global Warning" at the Jeu de Paume, "Matisse. 1941–1954" at the Grand Palais, "Michel-Ange Rodin" at the Musée du Louvre, "Renoir et l'amour" at the Musée d'Orsay, "Calder. Rêver en équilibre" at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, and "Splendeurs du baroque" at the Musée Jacquemart-André. The article also features retrospectives of Hilma af Klint at the Grand Palais, Károly Ferenczy at the Petit Palais, Henry Taylor at the Musée Picasso, a Lee Miller exhibition at the Musée d'Art moderne de Paris, a Giovanni Segantini show at the Musée Marmottan Monet, and a Nan Goldin multimedia presentation at the Grand Palais.

In Turin, fashion photography is the protagonist of The Phair 2026. All the news of the seventh edition of the fair

A Torino la fotografia di moda è protagonista di The Phair 2026. Tutte le novità della settima edizione della fiera

The Phair, a photography fair in Turin, returns for its seventh edition from May 22 to 24, 2026, at the OGR – Officine Grandi Riparazioni. This year's edition focuses on fashion photography as an autonomous art form, featuring works by photographers such as Nanda Lanfranco, Giovanni Gastel, Françoise Huguier, Marco Glaviano, and Michelangelo Di Battista. Participating galleries include Photo & Contemporary, Ira Leonis, Deodato Arte, Jaeger Art, and many others. The fair also expands its curatorial committee with figures like Umberto Benappi, Emilio Bordoli, and Brandei Estes.

Jon Batiste, Troye Sivan, and Amy Sherald lead a Met Gala 2026 rooted in art-historical homage.

The 2026 Met Gala, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, centered on the theme "Fashion Is Art," marking the opening of the Costume Institute's spring exhibition "Costume Art." Attendees including Jon Batiste, Troye Sivan, and artist Amy Sherald interpreted the dress code through art-historical references, with Sivan wearing Prada to channel Robert Mapplethorpe. The event brought together fashion, art, entertainment, and high society to make a deliberate case for fashion as a legitimate art form.

The Met’s blockbuster Raphael exhibition looks beyond the artist’s idealised Madonnas

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has opened "Raphael: Sublime Poetry," the first comprehensive exhibition of the Renaissance master in the United States. The ambitious show gathers 237 works, including 33 paintings and 142 drawings, spanning Raphael's entire career and featuring major loans like *The Alba Madonna* from the National Gallery of Art in Washington and *Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione* from the Louvre.

Amy Sherald comes home

Amy Sherald, the celebrated painter known for her official portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama, brings her traveling exhibition 'American Sublime' to Atlanta's High Museum of Art, where it will be on view from May 15 to September 27. The show, the largest presentation of her work to date, marks a homecoming for Sherald, who was born in Columbus, Georgia, and graduated from Clark Atlanta University. The exhibition includes paintings that explore themes of identity, the American South, and the Black experience, and features works such as 'A God Blessed Land (Empire of Dirt)' (2022) and 'They Call Me Redbone, but I'd Rather Be Strawberry Shortcake' (2009).

Amy Sherald’s Show Sets Visitor Record at Baltimore Museum of Art

Amy Sherald's traveling mid-career survey, 'American Sublime,' has set a new attendance record at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA), drawing 63,000 visitors as of early February with an expected final total of 75,000. This makes it the museum's most-attended show since 2000. The exhibition features nearly 50 grisaille portraits of Black Americans and was previously shown at SFMOMA and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

BMA sets attendance record with 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime' exhibition

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) has set a new attendance record with its current exhibition, 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime,' which has drawn 52,597 visitors since opening on November 2. The previous record was held by the 'Matisse/Diebenkorn' show in 2016-2017 with about 45,700 visitors. The exhibition, a mid-career survey of Sherald's work, runs through April 5 and is projected to reach 70,000 attendees. It originated at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and traveled to the Whitney Museum of American Art before arriving in Baltimore, after Sherald canceled its planned stop at the National Portrait Gallery due to censorship concerns.

Must-see New York City museum openings and exhibitions in 2026

The article previews major New York City museum exhibitions opening in 2026, including a Carol Bove survey at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (March 5–August 2), the first U.S. Marcel Duchamp retrospective since 1973 at the Museum of Modern Art, the New Museum's inaugural show in its OMA-designed expansion titled "New Humans: Memories of the Future," and a Goya exhibition at the Hispanic Society Museum & Library tied to the 250th anniversary of the United States. Each show highlights significant artistic milestones, from Bove's scrap-metal sculptures to Duchamp's readymades and Goya's war commentaries.

Amy Sherald Exhibition Headed to High Museum in Atlanta in Spring 2026, News Follows Artist Withdrawing Show From Smithsonian Due to Censorship Concerns

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta will host a solo exhibition of works by Amy Sherald in spring 2026. The announcement comes shortly after the artist withdrew a planned show from the Smithsonian Institution, citing censorship concerns.

Baltimore Museum of Art to Host Amy Sherald Show After Artist’s Smithsonian Withdrawal

Amy Sherald has moved her touring exhibition "American Sublime" to the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) after withdrawing it from the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) over censorship concerns. The show, previously at the Whitney Museum of American Art, will open at the BMA on November 3 and run until April 5, 2026. Sherald pulled the exhibition from the Smithsonian-affiliated NPG after she said the institution wanted to replace her painting "Trans Forming Liberty" (2024), which depicts the Statue of Liberty as a trans woman, with a video providing context on transgender issues. The BMA, which had already planned to honor Sherald with its "Artist Who Inspires" award, will feature works including her portrait of Michelle Obama, "Breonna Taylor" (2020), and the contested painting.

Amy Sherald Exhibition Lands at Baltimore Museum of Art After Artist Canceled Presentation at Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery Over Censorship Concerns

Amy Sherald's mid-career retrospective, "American Sublime," will open at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) in November after the artist canceled its presentation at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Sherald withdrew the exhibition in July, citing censorship concerns over the museum's internal discussions about removing her painting "Trans Forming Liberty" (2024), which depicts a Black trans woman posed like the Statue of Liberty. The show, featuring about 40 works from 2007 to 2024, previously traveled to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art, where the contested portrait was included. The BMA version will also feature the painting.

Washington, D.C., Museums are Showcasing African American Art, Exhibitions Focus on Photography and the Black Arts Movement, Vivian Browne, Adam Pendleton & More

Museums across Washington, D.C., are currently presenting a robust slate of exhibitions focused on African American art, including major retrospectives, solo shows, and thematic group presentations. Notable shows include "Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist" at the National Gallery of Art, "We Gather at the Edge: Contemporary Quilts by Black Women Artists" at the Renwick Gallery, solo exhibitions for Vivian Browne and Essex Hemphill at The Phillips Collection, Chakaia Booker's "In the Tower" at the National Gallery, and Adam Pendleton's "Love, Queen" at the Hirshhorn Museum. Additionally, collectors Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson have pledged 175 works by Black artists to the National Gallery, with over 60 on view in "With Passion and Purpose."

On View: 'Amy Sherald: American Sublime' at Whitney Museum of American Art in New York Charts Artist's Two-Decade Career

The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York has opened "Amy Sherald: American Sublime," the largest exhibition of the artist's work and her first solo museum show in the city. Featuring over 40 paintings created between 2007 and 2024, the exhibition includes iconic portraits of Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor, as well as works inspired by Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photograph and filmmaker Wes Anderson. The show is organized chronologically, beginning with the rarely seen "Hangman" (2007), and includes "If You Surrendered to the Air, You Could Ride It" (2020), shown for the first time since its acquisition by the Whitney five years ago.

How To Do New York Art Week 2025 Like An Insider

Sophia Penske, founder of Penske Projects and an art advisor at Gagosian Art Advisory, provides an insider guide to New York Art Week 2025, running May 5–12. She highlights three main fairs: Frieze New York at The Shed (May 7–11), Independent Art Fair at Spring Studios (May 8–11), and TEFAF. The guide includes notable artists to see—such as Daisuke Fukunaga at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Doron Langberg at Victoria Miro, Moka Lee at Carlos/Ishikawa, Julia Jo at Charles Moffett, Laura Footes at SHRINE, and Nicole Economides at Callirrhoe—along with nearby dining, spa, and gallery recommendations.

Ten Out Of London Exhibitions Spring 2026 – Artlyst Guide

Artlyst has published a guide to ten major exhibitions opening across UK museums and galleries outside London in Spring 2026. Highlights include a year-long programme for the 250th anniversary of John Constable in Suffolk, the Gwen John exhibition 'Strange Beauties' at National Museum Cardiff celebrating her 150th birthday, a Frank Bowling survey at The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, a Joan Eardley show in Edinburgh, and Paula Rego at Newlands House & Gallery. Other featured exhibitions include Andy Hollingworth's photography of comedians at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and a Vivienne Westwood retrospective at the Bowes Museum.

The 2026 Spring Arts Preview: Our picks in Art + Design

Atlanta’s 2026 spring season features a major homecoming for artist Amy Sherald, whose mid-career retrospective 'American Sublime' arrives at the High Museum of Art following a high-profile withdrawal from the Smithsonian over censorship concerns. Other museum highlights include an exploration of Isamu Noguchi’s design work at the High, the U.S. International Poster Biennial at MODA, and a soccer-themed exhibition at the Michael C. Carlos Museum.

The Best New York City Exhibitions of 2025

Hyperallergic's staff and contributors present their picks for the best New York City exhibitions of 2025, highlighting a year marked by major museum reopenings, including the Studio Museum in Harlem after a seven-year hiatus and the Frick's expansion. Notable shows include Amy Sherald's 'American Sublime' at the Whitney Museum, Rashid Johnson at the Guggenheim, Wifredo Lam at MoMA, and surveys of Indigenous design at the Ford Foundation Gallery, Seydou Keïta at the Brooklyn Museum, and hometown heroes like Jack Whitten at MoMA and Coco Fusco at El Museo del Barrio. The list also features Saya Woolfalk at the Museum of Arts and Design, Nayland Blake at Matthew Marks Gallery, and Ben Shahn at the Jewish Museum.

New York Museums are Showcasing African American Art, Exhibitions Feature Lorna Simpson, Rashid Johnson, Beauford Delaney, Amy Sherald, Black Dandyism & More

New York museums are presenting a wave of major exhibitions focused on African American art this spring and summer, many running through fall 2025. Solo shows include the largest-ever surveys of Rashid Johnson at the Guggenheim Museum, Amy Sherald at the Whitney Museum of American Art, and Jack Whitten at the Museum of Modern Art. The Drawing Center hosts the first museum exhibition dedicated to Beauford Delaney's drawings, while the Brooklyn Museum presents the first museum show for sculptor Nancy Elizabeth Prophet. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, highlights include the newly renovated Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, a Lorna Simpson painting exhibition, a roof garden installation by Jennie C. Jones, and the Costume Institute's "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exploring Black dandyism.