Meet the Mona Lisa! A free new immersive exhibition opens at Hong Kong Heritage Museum

A free immersive digital exhibition titled 'Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance' opens on May 1 at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, running through July 27. Created in collaboration with the Musée du Louvre and the Grand Palais Immersif, the show is split into two sections: a multimedia journey guided by a narrated Mona Lisa across six chapters, including an interactive photo booth, and a second section featuring over 100 Renaissance treasures from European institutions. Highlights include four original manuscripts of the human body and faces by Leonardo da Vinci, shown for the first time in Hong Kong, alongside loans from the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, the Musée national de la Renaissance, works by mainland artist Xu Lei, and items from the museum's own collection.

Experience 'Mona Lisa' and Renaissance Art at Hong Kong Heritage Museum Exhibition Starting Tomorrow

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is launching 'The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance' exhibition from May 1 to July 27. The show offers a multimedia immersive experience centered on Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' and features Renaissance art treasures on loan from French and Italian cultural institutions, including the Musée du Louvre and the Musée national de la Renaissance. The opening ceremony on April 30 was attended by Hong Kong Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law, French Consul General Christile Drulhe, and other dignitaries.

Italian Renaissance masterpieces debut in Beijing exhibition

An exhibition titled 'Homage to the Virtuosos: From Leonardo da Vinci to Caravaggio - Masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance' has opened at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing, featuring 36 Renaissance masterpieces from Italy's Uffizi Galleries. The show includes works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Caravaggio, with many pieces traveling to China for the first time. The exhibition is jointly curated by the National Art Museum of China and the Uffizi Galleries, and is divided into three thematic sections tracing the evolution of Renaissance painting, from early Florentine masters through Mannerism to Venetian and Caravaggio's revolutionary works.

Some of DAM’s never-before-exhibited photos on display in new show

The Denver Art Museum (DAM) has opened a new photography exhibition titled "What We’ve Been Up to: People," featuring 60 never-before-exhibited photographs from its collection. The show includes works by renowned artists such as Andy Warhol, Richard Avedon, Graciela Iturbide, Dorothea Lange, Tina Modotti, and Andrea Modica, with images spanning from 1929 to 1999. The exhibition aims to highlight the behind-the-scenes work of curators—acquisitions, research, conservation—while offering the public a chance to see fresh acquisitions and overlooked treasures.

Treasures from the worlds of fashion and art collide at an extraordinary new exhibition in Lisbon

A new exhibition titled 'Art & Fashion' has opened at Lisbon's Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, curated by Eloy Martínez de la Pera Celada. It juxtaposes masterpieces from the museum's permanent collection—spanning ancient Egyptian artifacts to Rembrandt and Impressionist works—with historic and contemporary fashion pieces, including garments from Charles Frederick Worth, Yohji Yamamoto, Dries Van Noten, Alexander McQueen, and Sarah Burton's debut at Givenchy. The show is organized by regional provenance and temporarily replaces the museum's usual display while its Brutalist building undergoes renovation.

Blazing Light: Photographs by Mimi Plumb at the High Museum

The High Museum of Art has launched the first solo museum exhibition for American photographer Mimi Plumb, titled "Blazing Light." Spanning five decades of work, the exhibition features over 100 photographs across three major series: "The White Sky," "Landfall and The Golden City," and "The Reservoir." These gritty, black-and-white images document the evolving landscape of the American West, specifically California, while capturing the psychological tension of a society grappling with environmental decay and economic instability.

Exhibition Tour—Raphael: Sublime Poetry

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is hosting "Raphael: Sublime Poetry," the first comprehensive exhibition dedicated to the Italian Renaissance master in the United States. Featuring over 170 masterpieces and rarely seen treasures, the exhibition traces Raphael’s meteoric career from his origins in Urbino to his transformative years in Florence and his final decade serving the papal court in Rome. The show highlights his unique ability to blend intellectual rigor with emotional lyricism, positioning him as a peer to Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

Kimbell Art Museum’s free community programs this spring

The Kimbell Art Museum has announced an extensive lineup of free community programming for the Spring 2026 season. The schedule features a diverse array of events including gallery discussions, hands-on art-making workshops for children, live music performances, and scholarly lectures. A significant portion of the programming is designed to complement the special exhibition, "The Holy Sepulcher: Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem," through documentary screenings and expert-led talks.

Art Fund celebrates decade of lending programme with Rossetti and Surrealist loans

The Art Fund is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its Weston Loan Programme by facilitating the loan of major masterpieces to 15 regional UK institutions. High-profile works, including Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s 'Beata Beatrix' and Joseph Wright of Derby’s 'An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump', will travel from national collections like the National Gallery and Tate to smaller galleries in Newcastle, Derby, and Ipswich. The program covers essential logistical costs such as insurance, transport, and security that are typically prohibitive for local museums.

Denver Art Museum digs into its closet for fun fashion show

The Denver Art Museum has unveiled "Conversation Pieces: Stories from the Fashion Archives," an exhibition composed entirely of works from its permanent collection. Featuring approximately 60 mannequins, the show highlights high-fashion garments from the past century, many of which have never been publicly displayed. The curation includes iconic pieces by legendary designers such as Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Elsa Schiaparelli, alongside contemporary works by Alexander McQueen and Carla Fernández.

‘A Room for Animal Intelligence’: There’s never been a SAM exhibition like it

The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) has unveiled "A Room for Animal Intelligence," a landmark exhibition curated by Pam McClusky that draws almost exclusively from the institution's permanent collection. The show features a diverse array of works—some of which had never been previously unboxed or displayed—ranging from ancient artifacts to contemporary sculptures. A unique narrative device is employed throughout the gallery, where the animal subjects "speak" for themselves on wall labels to foster a direct connection with visitors.

Download 60,000 Works of Art from the National Gallery, Including Masterpieces by Van Gogh, Gauguin, Rembrandt & More

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. has made over 60,000 high-resolution digital images from its permanent collection available for free download through its NGA Images platform. This open-access initiative includes masterpieces by iconic artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and Rembrandt van Rijn, allowing users to download files up to 3,000 pixels for personal or educational use.

Did Qatar’s Courbet acquisition short-circuit French export licence process?

Qatar Museums has acquired Gustave Courbet's early self-portrait *Le Désespéré* (1843-45) from a French collector for €50 million, bypassing the standard French export licence process. The Musée d'Orsay revealed the purchase at a private event in October, announcing the painting will be lent to the museum for five years before moving to Qatar's future Art Mill Museum (opening by 2030). The sale was conducted without an export certificate, with the justification that the work will remain in France for most of the time, using temporary export licences for exhibitions in Doha. Critics, including heritage campaigner Julien Lacaze, argue this exemption is being misused, as it was intended for one-off exhibitions, not recurring rotations.

After reopening, Joslyn Art Museum breaks visitor records, earns national acclaim

The Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska, has broken visitor records and earned national acclaim in its first full year after reopening with a 42,000-square-foot addition. The new Rhonda & Howard Hawks Pavilion, designed by Snøhetta and Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, opened in September 2024 and added 16,700 square feet of gallery space, 15,400 square feet of public gathering space, and new gardens. Through September 2025, the museum welcomed 159,420 visitors, on track to surpass 200,000—a milestone only reached a few times before, typically due to blockbuster traveling exhibitions like the Tutankhamun Treasures or Dead Sea Scrolls shows.

Hispanic art tour winds down in Texas

The Hispanic Society Museum and Library's traveling exhibition, "Spirit & Splendour: El Greco, Velázquez and the Hispanic Baroque," has reached its final stop at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas. The show features 57 works from the Hispanic Society's permanent collection, including all three of its Diego Velázquez paintings, and runs from August 24. The Blanton iteration adds key pieces from its own collection, such as El Greco's 1570s Pietà and a sculpture by Luisa Roldán, to contextualize the Spanish and Latin American masterpieces.

National Museum of Asian Art Presents “Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared”

The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art will present "Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared" from November 8, 2025 to February 1, 2026, marking the first U.S. exhibition of masterpieces from the Lee Kun-Hee Collection. Featuring over 200 works including a dozen Korean National Treasures, the exhibition spans 1,500 years of Korean art—from ancient Buddhist sculptures and ceramics to Joseon dynasty furnishings and 20th-century modern paintings. The collection, donated to the Republic of Korea in 2021 by the family of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-Hee, comprises more than 23,000 works accumulated over 70 years. The exhibition is co-organized by the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Museum of Korea, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, with additional loans from the Leeum Museum of Art shown exclusively in Washington, D.C.

Mexico City’s Museo Dolores Olmedo to reopen in 2026 amid controversy

Museo Dolores Olmedo in Mexico City, home to the largest collection of works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, has announced it will reopen in 2026 after being closed since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The announcement follows years of uncertainty, including a controversial 2021 proposal to relocate the collection to Chapultepec’s Parque Aztlán, which contradicts the founder’s wish that the art remain at the original site, La Noria Hacienda in Xochimilco. The museum is now run by Dolores Phillips, granddaughter of founder Dolores Olmedo, who has faced criticism over plans for a 40-year loan of the collection to Aztlán.

Whiteley showcase reveals struggles with addiction and pursuit of beauty

A touring exhibition from the Brett Whiteley studio in New South Wales, titled *Inside The Studio*, has arrived at the Shepparton Art Museum in Victoria—its final stop and only Victorian venue. The show features drawings, ceramics, sketchbooks, photographs, Whiteley's iconic Sydney Harbour painting, and his 1976 Archibald Prize-winning self-portrait. Wendy Whiteley, the artist's former wife and an artist herself, shares memories of their turbulent marriage, including his struggles with addiction and his intense dedication to his craft. She has also repurchased several of her favorite sketches of her in the bathtub, which had been auctioned off over the years.

Leader of Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum to depart after a decade at the helm

Josh Basseches, director and CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), announced on June 5 that he will step down at the end of 2025 after a decade in the role. Under his leadership, the museum underwent three renovations and one expansion, including the reopening of the Weston Entrance, the creation of the Willner Madge Gallery Dawn of Life, and the launch of the C$130m OpenROM renovation project. Notable exhibitions during his tenure included Christian Dior, Kent Monkman: Being Legendary, and Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.

‘Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing’ showcases 60 years of the artist’s uncanny, unique perspective

The Bates College Museum of Art will open 'Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing' on June 6, a major exhibition spanning 60 years of the artist and illustrator's career. Featuring 149 objects, the show includes works from Steadman's collaborations with Hunter S. Thompson, political commentary, and literary illustrations, along with a life-size bronze sculpture 'Vintage Dr. Gonzo' by Jud Bergeron. Originally scheduled for 2020 but delayed by the pandemic, the exhibition runs through Oct. 11 and fills the entire museum.

Put Community First and Other Lessons On Institutional Sustainability From MCA Chicago

MCA Chicago director Madeleine Grynsztejn outlines the museum's guiding principles of championing revelatory art, fostering social belonging, and aligning internal practices with community ethics. The museum's collection is treated as a living resource rather than a static treasure, with exhibitions like "Descending the Staircase" and "City in a Garden: Queer Art Activism in Chicago" reflecting evolving narratives. The MCA Art Auction, held every five years, is highlighted as a values-driven fundraiser; the 2025 edition honors Ed Ruscha with a new commission and features works by artists including Rashid Johnson, Sanford Biggers, and Sarah Sze.

Day Trip From Chicago: Milwaukee Art Museum to Exhibit Significant Collection of 16th-17th Century Spanish Art

The Milwaukee Art Museum will debut a major exhibition titled "The Brilliance of the Spanish World: El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán" on May 2, 2025. Billed as the "most significant collection of Hispanic art outside of Spain," the show features masterpieces from 16th- and 17th-century Spanish painters including El Greco, Diego Velázquez, and Francisco de Zurbarán, spanning Renaissance and Baroque periods. The exhibition runs through July 27 and is included with general admission.

A tribute to two great dealers

Un hommage à deux grands marchands

Two major Parisian art dealers, Giovanni Sarti and Jean-Marie Rossi, have recently retired. This spring, exhibitions are being held to honor their pivotal roles as discoverers of artistic treasures, highlighting specific masterpieces they brought to light, such as the 'Sarti Madonna' attributed to Duccio and Bramantino's 'Pietà Artaria'.

Mimmo Jodice in mostra al nuovo Museo del Tesoro di San Gennaro a Napoli. Rare foto ‘barocche’ a colori

Mimmo Jodice, the renowned Italian photographer who died in October 2025 at age 91, is being honored with a new exhibition at the Museo del Tesoro di San Gennaro in Naples. The show, curated by former Capodimonte director Sylvain Bellenger, presents Jodice's rare color photographs from the 1980s—his only color project—which focus on 17th-century Neapolitan Baroque paintings by artists such as Caravaggio, Jusepe de Ribera, and Artemisia Gentileschi. The exhibition runs until January 10, 2027, and also marks the inauguration of newly renovated welcome spaces at the museum, designed by Vanni del Gaudio.

Major, International Touring Exhibition ‘Treasures of the Pharaohs’ Coming to the Kimbell Art Museum in 2027

The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, announced it will host the major international touring exhibition 'Treasures of the Pharaohs' from March 14 to September 19, 2027. Featuring 130 artifacts from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the Luxor Museum, the exhibition spans 3,000 years of ancient Egyptian history, including royal treasures, newly discovered objects from the 'Golden City' in the Valley of the Kings, and works from Dynasty I to the Ptolemaic period. The exhibition is currently on view at the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome and will travel to the de Young museum in San Francisco before arriving at the Kimbell.

Treasure House Fair hopes to be the flagship summer event London desperately needs

Thomas Woodham-Smith and Harry Van der Hoorn are staging the third edition of the Treasure House Fair at London’s Royal Hospital Chelsea, running until 1 July. The fair, which launched hastily in 2023 after the collapse of Masterpiece London, features 72 exhibitors spanning ancient to contemporary art, design, jewellery, antiques, and even a meteorite. Woodham-Smith reports a mood of optimism despite global turmoil, with strong ticket sales and a 40% share of new exhibitors, including many from outside the UK.

Where are the Louvre Jewels?

Wo sind die Louvre-Juwelen?

Six months after a high-profile heist at the Louvre, investigators remain in pursuit of stolen jewelry valued at approximately €88 million. While four suspects are currently in custody, the bulk of the Second Empire-era treasures remains missing, leading to fears that the pieces may have been dismantled or melted down. The investigation has shifted focus toward how the thieves obtained a sensitive 2018 security audit that detailed vulnerabilities in the museum's defenses.

Six months after the Louvre heist, a 'Complément d'enquête' takes stock, with never-before-seen images broadcast tonight on France 2

Six mois après le casse du Louvre, un « Complément d’enquête » fait le point, avec des images inédites diffusées ce soir sur France 2

On October 19, 2025, eight historic and priceless jewels were stolen from the Galerie d'Apollon at the Louvre Museum in Paris in just over three minutes, using a hoist and an angle grinder. Six months later, the French investigative program "Complément d'enquête" airs a 50-minute documentary titled "Musée du Louvre : dans les coulisses du casse du siècle" on France 2, featuring exclusive surveillance footage, interviews with guards, police, experts, and ministers, and new details about the four suspects arrested within weeks.

Galleries condemned, bones exploding… The National Museum of Natural History is in a serious state of disrepair, warns its president

Galeries condamnées, ossements qui explosent… Le Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle est dans un grave état de vétusté, alerte son président

The president of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris, Gilles Bloch, has issued a public alarm about the institution's severe state of disrepair. He warns that 74% of the museum complex is in grave danger, with urgent repairs costing an estimated €500 million needed to prevent collapse and reopen closed galleries. The deterioration includes mold-infested herbariums, flooded archives, and mineralized bones exploding due to heat and humidity, threatening the museum's world-class collection of over 70 million specimens.

À Annecy, le cinéma d’animation célébré toute l’année grâce à l’ouverture d’un lieu hybride et ambitieux en juin

A new permanent home for animation cinema, the Cité internationale du cinéma d'animation, will open in Annecy, France, on June 19, 2025, just before the annual Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Housed in a restored 19th-century horse stable (haras) listed as a historic monument, the 54-million-euro project includes a 450 m² permanent museum, a 332-seat cinema, temporary exhibition spaces, educational workshops, artist residencies, and image-education facilities. The city of Annecy contributes 30 million euros, with additional funding from the Haute-Savoie department, the state, and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Designed by architecture firm dd.a and landscape architect Philippe Deliau, the center aims to be a hybrid, year-round hub for animation, blending heritage, creation, and transmission.