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.
This list matters because it identifies destination-worthy exhibitions across four continents, offering a global snapshot of museum programming in 2026. The inclusion of long-overdue retrospectives like Duchamp's and Raphael's underscores shifting curatorial priorities, while shows like the Shakers exhibition highlight the intersection of historical design and contemporary art. The article serves as a critical guide for art travelers and institutions planning their cultural calendars.