{"id":484087,"date":"2026-01-01T06:00:30","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T06:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/484087\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T06:00:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T06:00:30","slug":"22-art-exhibitions-in-l-a-to-look-forward-to-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/484087\/","title":{"rendered":"22 art exhibitions in L.A. to look forward to in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

While L.A. is poised to be the sports epicenter of the world for the next few years, there\u2019s a lot more to look forward to<\/a> than the World Cup in 2026. The city\u2019s arts and culture scene is thriving: Between major exhibition openings at the best museums<\/a> across the county, the completion of long-awaited expansions and renovations, and the opening of two brand-new museums on the horizon, Los Angeles is poised to become the talk of the art world.<\/p>\n

From the debuts of the world\u2019s first AI arts museum and the eagerly anticipated Lucas Museum (fingers crossed!) to SoCal\u2019s first solo exhibition dedicated to Yoko Ono, here are 22 things we\u2019re excited to check out in L.A. museums\u00a0during\u00a02026. (It\u2019s also worth noting that many of the best exhibitions from 2025 are continuing into next year, including the Hammer Museum\u2019s biennial \u201cMade in L.A.<\/a>\u201d showcase, the Broad\u2019s display of Robert Therrien<\/a>\u2019s large-scale sculptures and \u201cMonuments<\/a>\u201d at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA\u2014our pick for the best exhibition of 2025<\/a>.)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Psst: You can see nearly all of our picks below without having to pay for admission if you brush up on L.A.\u2019s free museum days<\/a> first.<\/p>\n

\"Provident
\nPhotograph: Courtesy of Provident Fine Art <\/p>\n

LA Art Show<\/a><\/strong>
Los Angeles Convention Center, Jan 7\u201311<\/strong>
Though the LA Art Show is, obviously, an art show\u00a0as opposed to a traditional exhibition, the largest and longest-running art fair will gather over 90 exhibitors at the Convention Center for a veritable art extravaganza at the start of the year. Notable for this 31st edition of the show are the first significant solo presentation of actor Sylvester Stallone\u2019s abstract works<\/a> and the debut of the fair\u2019s Latin American Pavilion, providing a platform for underrepresented artists to share their takes on themes of memory, migration and identity.\u00a0Meanwhile, non-commercial platform DIVERSEartLA will present \u201cThe Biennials, Art Institutions and Museums in the Contemporary Art Ecosystem,\u201d exploring how these institutions impact the evolution of contemporary art.<\/p>\n

\"Mister
\nPhotograph: Courtesy Rebecca Sapp\/Getty Images for the Recording Academy <\/p>\n

\u201cSelena: From Texas to the World\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
Grammy Museum, Jan 15\u2013Mar 16<\/strong>
The beloved late singer, who\u2019s ascended to music and fashion icon status since her untimely death in 1995, is the focus of a new show at the Grammy Museum. Co-curated by the singer\u2019s sister, Suzette Quintanilla, the exhibition will peek behind the curtain of Selena\u2019s life, artistry and career,\u00a0exploring how her legacy continues as a symbol of empowerment for both young women and Latin communities. You can see the singer\u2019s personal artifacts displayed for the first time outside of the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, Texas, including her Grammy Award, cellphone, hand-drawn fashions and microphone, still marked with her signature red lipstick. In preparation for the opening, artist Mister Toledo recently created a mural of the singer outside the museum (above).<\/p>\n

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\nCourtesy Julia Stoschek FoundationWalt Disney, \u2019The Skeleton Dance,\u2018 1929, animated film transferred to video, 5’31”, b\/w, sound. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a Wonderful World: An Audiovisual Poem\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
Variety Arts Theater, Feb 6\u2013Mar 20<\/strong>
The only show on our list not\u00a0housed in\u00a0a dedicated museum or gallery, special exhibition \u201cWhat a Wonderful World\u201d has definitely piqued my interest. The display of film and video art, billed as \u201ca sweeping odyssey into the depths of human experience,\u201d will take over all six stories of the abandoned, historic Variety Arts Theater in Downtown L.A. (the theater served as the setting for this past Halloween\u2019s immersive haunt Delusion<\/a>, and honestly, the expansive space was as impressive as the production itself). Over a century of visual storytelling will be explored, blurring the line between visual art and cinema. The contemporary video works by artists including Marina Abramovi\u0107, Doug Aitken, Chris Burden, Cyprien Gaillard, Arthur Jafa and Precious Okoyomon\u2014juxtaposed with cinematic works by the likes of Walt Disney and Georges M\u00e9li\u00e8s\u2014come from the time-based art collection of the Germany-based Julia Stoschek Foundation.<\/p>\n

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\nPhotograph: Courtesy USC Pacific Asia MuseumDragon, Japan, circa 1900. Bronze. USC Pacific Asia Museum. Gift of Walt and Maylo Long. <\/p>\n

\u201cMythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
USC Pacific Asia Museum, Feb 14\u2013Sept 6<\/strong>
The Pacific Asia Museum\u2019s galleries have been closed for months in preparation for this immersive new exhibition, which is taking over the entire museum and marks a new, artist-centered shift to its programming. The ambitious show will use the visual language of mythology to take visitors on an immersive journey through the immigrant experience, combining objects from USC PAM\u2019s 5,000-year-spanning historical collection with new media technology and works by\u00a0over 20 contemporary artists, led by L.A.-based Korean American muralist Dave Young Kim. Highlights include a wrap-around video installation in a reconstructed airplane cabin and an AI feature that puts visitors in the shoes of an immigrant. Along the way, mythical creatures\u2014dragons, cranes, guardian spirits and shapeshifters\u2014nod to intergenerational legacies.<\/p>\n

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\nPhotograph: Courtesy of the Margaret Herrick LibraryDrawing by Noboru Yoshida for \u201cPonyo\u201d (2008). <\/p>\n

\u201cStudio Ghibli\u2019s Ponyo\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Feb 14, 2026\u2013Jan 10, 2027<\/strong>
The Academy Museum\u2019s entire 2026 calendar is packed with exhibitions\u00a0I can\u2019t wait to check out. First up is a deep dive\u00a0into Studio Ghibli\u2019s Ponyo. One of Hayao Miyazaki\u2019s most beloved films, Ponyo was notable for its focus on hand-drawn animation, with not only the characters but the backgrounds drawn frame-by-frame rather than using animation cels or CGI. Last year, Studio Ghibli donated<\/a> original production materials to the Academy Collection, so this show will highlight\u00a0those items,\u00a0including art boards, posters, a Studio Ghibli animation desk and original drawings\u2014some of which will be displayed in North America for the very first time\u2014pairing them with immersive and interactive elements like an animation table and a play environment for kids.<\/p>\n

Later in the year, a different\u2014and equally impressive\u2014type\u00a0of hands-on animation will be in the spotlight for \u201cHidden Worlds: The Films of Laika<\/a>.\u201d Opening December 13, the traveling exhibition sheds light on the Portland, Oregon-based company\u2019s stop-motion animation process by looking at its filmography, from Coraline to Kubo and the Two Strings.<\/p>\n

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\n\u00a9 Lyndon J. Barrois Sr., photo courtesy of the artistLyndon J. Barrois Sr., F\u00fatballet, 2018, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, purchased with funds provided by Allison and Larry Berg. <\/p>\n

\u201cF\u00fatbol Is Life: Animated Sportraits by Lyndon J. Barrois, Sr.\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
LACMA, Feb 15\u2013July 12<\/strong>
Whether or not you follow soccer, you probably know by now that Los Angeles is hosting eight matches of the World Cup in summer 2026. In celebration of its arrival, this LACMA show will display Lyndon J. Barrois Sr.\u2019s ode to the world\u2019s most beloved sport. The artist\u2019s miniature \u201csportraits\u201d re-create classic moments in both women\u2019s and men\u2019s soccer using materials like gum wrappers, glue and paint\u2014even if you\u2019re not a sports fan, the playful sculptures and stop-motion animations will win you over.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Little Friend: Impressions of Galka Scheyer\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
Norton Simon Museum, Feb 20\u2013July 20<\/strong>
Each New Year\u2019s Day<\/a>, the Norton Simon Museum gets ready for its close-up as the background\u00a0of the Rose Parade<\/a>, but this year, the exterior will be looking better than usual, thanks to a recent $15-million renovation. Set on a congested thoroughfare but somehow tucked away, the museum has long been underappreciated and overlooked. Did you know, for example, that the facade of the museum is covered in some 115,000 hand-crafted Heath Ceramics tiles, which were recently cleaned and restored? Or that sculptor Auguste Rodin\u2019s famed The Thinker\u00a0sits outside? A new exhibition\u2014which looks at how German art dealer Galka Scheyer helped bring European modernism to the United States\u2014is the perfect excuse to make your way to Pasadena to check out not only the works by artists including Alexei Jawlensky, Lyonel Feininger, Paul Klee and Vassily Kandinsky, but also the museum\u2019s restored facade and renovated sculpture garden.<\/p>\n

\u201cDestiny Is a Rose: The Eileen Harris Norton Collection\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles, Feb 24\u2013April 26<\/strong>
Even between exhibitions, blue-chip Hauser & Wirth\u2019s Arts District location is worth a visit, if only for its setting\u2014located in a vast former flour mill that\u2019s an architectural work of art in itself, the gallery complex also houses the excellent on-site restaurant Manuela<\/a>. But it\u2019s even better when the galleries are filled with thought-provoking pieces, as they will be in February, with this showcase of works from the collection of Eileen Harris Norton, who grew up in Watts and has been championing works by women, artists of color and California artists for 50 years now. The\u00a0show will feature more than 80 works that reflect her commitment to social justice. See the namesake painting by Kerry James Marshall, along with works by artists including Mark Bradford, Betye Saar, Lorna Simpson and Glenn Ligon.<\/p>\n

Opening the same day will be an exhibition of works by queer L.A.-based artist\u00a0Christina Quarles<\/a>,\u00a0who created the series\u00a0in the wake of the Altadena wildfires. The colorful, dense and frenetic pieces reflect the\u00a0sense of displacement the artist felt last year.<\/p>\n

\"A
\nCourtesy of the artist. Installation view of Leap Year, Hayward Gallery, London, United Kingdom, 2024. Photo by Mark Blower.Haegue Yang, Star-Crossed Rendezvous after Yun, 2024, aluminum venetian blinds, powder-coated aluminum hanging structure, steel wire rope, moving spotlights, DMX controller, speaker, tripod. 400 x 530 x 1274 cm. <\/p>\n

\u201cHaegue Yang: Star-Crossed Rendezvous\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
MOCA Grand Avenue, Mar 1\u2013Aug 2<\/strong>
MOCA and the LA Phil are collaborating on this presentation, which includes both\u00a0the\u00a0U.S. debut of\u00a0an immersive installation by South Korean artist Haegue Yang and an accompanying concert<\/a> at Walt Disney Concert Hall across the street on March 10. On the visual arts side, Yang is known for large-scale structures made with venetian blinds and\u00a0set against\u00a0choreographed sequences of light and movement. This work in particular is an ode to the late pioneering avant-garde composer Isang Yun, whose Double Concerto will be performed during the LA Phil concert.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Egyptian Book of the Dead\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
Getty Villa, Mar 4\u2013Nov 30<\/strong>
The reopened Getty Villa<\/a> will descend into the underworld with this exhibition, which looks at the ritual spells and religious writings ancient Egyptians employed to garner favor with Re and Osiris in the afterlife. See the Getty\u2019s hieroglyphics-adorned collection of Book of the Dead manuscripts, dating back to around 1000 BCE. The show should dovetail nicely with the museum\u2019s \u201cSculpted Portraits From Ancient Egypt<\/a>,\u201d which runs through January 2027.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeveral Eternities in a Day: Form in the Age of Living Materials\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
Hammer Museum, April 5\u2013Aug 23<\/strong>
The multisensory nature of art is explored in this exhibition, which\u00a0looks at the intertwined relationship between contemporary art and living materials through large-scale installations, painting, mixed-media sculpture, video and sound. Over 20 artists from North, Central and South America have employed mediums\u00a0like stones, avocado, cacao, achiote, cochineal and clay in their works, inviting visitors to engage their senses of touch, smell and hearing when interacting with the art.<\/p>\n

\u201cFree and Queer: Black Californian Roots of Gay Liberation\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
California African American Museum, April 7, 2026\u2013Feb 28, 2027<\/strong>
This show aims to give Black queer culture in California the credit it\u2019s due\u00a0as a part of\u00a0the decades-long fight for LGBTQ rights and recognition. Through historical materials, photographs, film and vintage newspapers, the exhibition recovers a history that\u2019s been largely excluded from the record, introducing visitors to sites, protagonists and allies who played a role in the fight for democracy and free expression.<\/p>\n

\"David
\nPhotograph: Michael Juliano for Time OutDavid Geffen Galleries at LACMA <\/p>\n

David Geffen Galleries<\/a><\/strong>
LACMA, opening in April 2026<\/strong>
In the works for well over a decade and under construction since 2020, the David Geffen Galleries, a single-building replacement for LACMA\u2019s eastern campus, will finally welcome museumgoers in April. The Peter Zumthor\u2013designed amoeba-shaped structure will have shopping and restaurant spaces on the ground floor, while its sprawling single floor of galleries floats above both sides of Wilshire Boulevard. Exhibition details are still to come, as is word of any sort of opening celebrations, but you can keep tabs on the art installation process on LACMA\u2019s Instagram<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the meantime, a mock-up of Henri Matisse\u2019s colorful ceramic cut-out, La Gerbe (The Sheaf), is visible from the second you exit LACMA\u2019s parking garage elevators, and if you peer over the construction fences to the south, you\u2019ll spy the top of living sculpture Split-Rocker, a monumental rocking horse and dinosaur mash-up from Jeff Koons covered in roughly 45,000 drought-tolerant perennials and succulents.<\/p>\n

\"Gallery
\n\u00a9Refik Anadol Studio for Dataland <\/p>\n

Dataland<\/a><\/strong>
Opening in spring 2026<\/strong>
Though originally scheduled to open in 2025, Dataland\u2014the world\u2019s first museum of AI Arts\u2014will debut this spring in the Frank Gehry-designed Grand L.A. (across the street from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, which Anadol blanketed in projections<\/a> back in 2018). And while the concept of AI art can be contentious to say the least, the artwork filling this project from Refik Anadol Studios decidedly won\u2019t be of the AI \u201cslop\u201d variety. Rather, the museum aims to merge real human imagination with machine creativity and capabilities.<\/p>\n

For about a decade, Turkish American media artist Anadol and his wife and studio cofounder, Efsun Erk\u0131l\u0131\u00e7, have been translating troves of data into morphing images and rippling particles. Inside the space, you\u2019ll find five galleries of installations, including floor-to-ceiling projections in a rainforest-inspired Infinity Room that we dare you not to be wowed by\u2014the multisensory experience will even be complemented by AI-generated scents.<\/p>\n

\u201cYoko Ono: Music of the Mind\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
The Broad, May 23\u2013Oct 11<\/strong>
The inimitable artist, musician and activist\u2014and John Lennon\u2019s other half\u2014is the subject of the Broad\u2019s highly anticipated upcoming show, Ono\u2019s first-ever solo museum exhibition in Southern California. Organized in collaboration with the Tate Modern in London, \u201cMusic of the Mind\u201d will allow visitors to directly interact with works from the artist\u2019s seven-decade long career, reflecting Ono\u2019s belief that art can both be made and live within the mind. In conjunction with the show, the museum will transform the olive trees on the outdoor East West Bank Plaza into Wish Trees for Los Angeles, where visitors can tie their own wishes on the branches. Many of the works invite audience engagement, in fact, all working toward a common goal of peace and connection. Also on display will be Acorn Event (1968) and Bed Peace (1969) anti-war works of activism\u00a0Ono and Lennon worked on together. Tickets for the special exhibition will be available in early 2026 at thebroad.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cLife, Liberty, and Los Angeles\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
Autry Museum of the American West, May 30, 2026\u2013Jan 31, 2027<\/strong>
This L.A.-centric exhibition looks at the Declaration of Independence\u2019s promise of life, liberty and happiness, and how that promise has been fulfilled\u2014or not\u2014throughout the city\u2019s development. Told\u00a0via\u00a0the stories of diverse Angelenos alongside historical and contemporary objects, media and art, the show \u201cinvites you to step into a conversation that has been shaping Los Angeles for over two hundred years.\u201d Also of note this upcoming year at the Autry is \u201cNative Skate<\/a>,\u201d which opens September 18 and traces both skateboarding\u2019s Southern California origins and the importance of the sport in Indigenous communities, especially among Native youth.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon\u201d<\/strong><\/a>
Academy Museum, May 31, 2026\u2013Feb 28, 2027<\/strong>
Just in time for silver screen\u00a0starlet Marilyn Monroe\u2019s 100th birthday, the Academy Museum will present a centennial celebration\u00a0dedicated to the woman and her work, offering \u201cunique insight into her agency in becoming a Hollywood icon.\u201d In addition to posters, portraits, letters and rarely seen personal items, highlights from the exhibition include two screen-worn costumes from Some Like It Hot and the rarely exhibited famous pink dress Monroe wore in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis Land Is\u2026\u201d <\/strong><\/a>
The Huntington, June 14, 2026\u2013Jan 11, 2027<\/strong>
Part of a multiyear initiative centered around the upcoming 250th birthday of the Declaration of Independence, this major exhibition will draw from the Huntington\u2019s collections to \u201cexplore land as a defining force in American life\u201d from before the country\u2019s founding to present day. Meanwhile, its \u201cStories From the Library<\/a>\u201d series, which displays rare archival materials from the institution\u2019s library collections through new thematic lenses, will be continuing through 2028, with future chapters focusing on topics\u00a0from\u00a0damaged books to early medicine.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery Minute Is History\u201d: Five Views of Los Angeles<\/strong><\/a>
Getty Center, Sep 1, 2026\u2013Jan 3, 2027<\/strong>
Five photographers who pushed their medium in new directions in the second half of the 20th century present their unique takes on the city in this Getty show. Influenced by techniques including social documentary practices, staged scenes and fashion, the photographs of Laura Aguilar, Reynaldo Rivera, George Rodriguez, Patssi Valdez and Ricardo Valverde expanded Chicano and Chicana representation in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Horror Show\u201d<\/a><\/strong>
Academy Museum, Sept 27, 2026\u2013July 25, 2027<\/strong>
Right in time for Halloween season, the Academy Museum seeks to answer the question \u201cWhy do horror films matter so deeply to so many?\u201d in this immersive look at the genre whose cultural cachet is always increasing. Knowingly employing horror tropes and exploring the lasting appeal of scary movies, the show will be divided into six subcategories of horror\u2014gothic, psychological, science, slasher, religion and ghosts. Expect re-creations of iconic settings where visitors will encounter creatures, monsters and objects from their favorite horror flicks and, in typical Academy fashion, a behind-the-scenes look at the storytelling and production processes of films from the original Frankenstein to The Shining to Get Out.<\/p>\n

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\nPhotograph: \u00a9 & \u2122 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.Ralph McQuarrie, \u2018Artoo and Threepio Leave the Pod in the Desert,\u2019 production art for \u2018Star Wars: Episode IV \u2013 A New Hope,\u2019 1975. <\/p>\n

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art<\/strong><\/a>
Opening Sept 22, 2026<\/strong>
If all goes according to plan, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will finally open its doors in Exposition Park this September. The verdant spaceship-like building between the Natural History Museum<\/a> and the L.A. Memorial Coliseum<\/a> adds something decidedly different and otherworldly to L.A.\u2019s architectural scene and has been piquing Angelenos\u2019 interest for years now. The five-story museum will feature 35 galleries, two state-of-the-art theaters, classrooms, a library, dining options and a gift shop.<\/p>\n

The \u201cNarrative Art\u201d part of the museum\u2019s moniker reflects a collection Lucas has been amassing for the past 50 years, made up of more than 40,000 artworks that reflect the importance of the somewhat nebulous field of illustrated storytelling, so expect to see paintings, murals and comics from the likes of Norman Rockwell, Frida Kahlo and Jack Kirby. And don\u2019t worry: The museum will also house the Lucas Archive\u2014think Star Wars props, models, costumes, concept art and more that trace the trajectory of Lucas\u2019s filmmaking career. There\u2019s still no information available about ticketing or the opening exhibition, but to be honest, after waiting so long, we\u2019re thrilled just to have a firm opening date.<\/p>\n

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\nArchitectural rendering by Ralph Appelbaum Associates <\/p>\n

\u201cIn the Future We Call Now: Dreams of Democracy, Realities of Racism\u201d<\/a><\/strong>
Japanese American National Museum, late 2026<\/strong>
And lastly, after an almost-two-year closure to install a new core exhibition, we can look forward to the reopening of the Japanese American National Museum near the end of the year. Informed by updated research and a fresh interpretation of Japanese American history, \u201cDreams of Democracy\u201d will feature never-before-exhibited artifacts and photographs from JANM\u2019s collection while bringing back certain pieces\u00a0like the museum\u2019s Heart Mountain barracks and Lance Matsushita\u2019s model of the Manzanar War Relocation Center. The immersive exhibition will wind through the remodeled first floor, promising a more dynamic experience that traces the past, present and future of the Japanese American experience. Also opening at JANM the same time will be \u201cPictures of Belonging<\/a>,\u201d an exhibition of works by three trailblazing Japanese American women artists\u2014Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi and Min\u00e9 Okubo\u2014that debuted at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.<\/p>\n