10 Chicago art exhibitions we’re most excited about in spring 2026

As the city moves into spring, Chicago’s museums are rolling out a new crop of exhibitions spanning centuries, continents and artistic styles—from the cut-paper reveries of Henri Matisse to decidedly more unexpected subjects (hello, Pokémon fossils!).

Whether you’re a devoted art lover or simply looking for a good reason to spend an afternoon in a gallery, there’s plenty to see in the months ahead. Major institutions and smaller museums alike are unveiling ambitious shows, offering fresh reasons to revisit familiar spaces—or finally check off the ones you’ve been meaning to see.

Here are 10 Chicago exhibitions we’re already planning to visit this spring.

The Dark Side of the Moon
Adler Planetarium, Now through March 15

This immersive planetarium show pairs cosmic visuals with The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. Each of the album’s 10 tracks is accompanied by a different visual sequence, blending futuristic imagery with nods to the band’s iconic visual history. Designed with input from longtime Pink Floyd collaborator Aubrey Powell, the show transforms the dome into a fully immersive audiovisual experience. Tickets are sold separately from general museum admission.

Pokémon Fossil Museum
Field Museum, May 22, 2026–Apr 11, 2027

Whether you’re parenting a pint-sized Pokémon devotee or a nostalgic millennial still clinging to a holographic Charizard card for its “possible resale value” (guilty), the Pokémon Fossil Museum is designed to surprise and delight. Making its U.S. debut at the Field Museum in spring 2026, the international exhibition invites visitors to compare Fossil Pokémon like Tyrantrum and Archeops with real-world fossils—including SUE the T. rex. Expect Pokémon models, real fossil excavation tools and immersive soundscapes throughout. Tickets are now live; considering how harrowing the process has been for others, we suggest securing yours before they’re gone.

Matisse’s Jazz
The Art Institute of Chicago, Now–June 1, 2026

Immerse yourself in a new perspective on legendary artist Henri Matisse at this exciting exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago. Bedridden and unable to paint in the 1940s, Matisse turned to a new, more accessible medium: cut paper. Mining his memories of circuses, world travels, folktales and concerts in Parisian music halls, he produced a series of 20 maquettes that will be on display for the public to enjoy.

Anne Frank The Exhibition
Griffin Museum of Science & Industry, Opening May 1

This immersive exhibition recreates the Secret Annex where Anne Frank, her family and four others hid during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Chicago is only the second U.S. city—and the first in the Midwest—to host the experience, which includes rarely seen artifacts from Frank’s life. Visitors can walk through the reconstructed hiding place while learning about Anne’s childhood, the rise of Nazi Germany and the Frank family’s years in Amsterdam. The exhibition offers a powerful look at the risks, courage and daily realities of those who lived in hiding.

Dancing the Revolution
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Apr 14–Sept 20, 2026

This first-of-its-kind exhibition explores the visual, political and spiritual histories of dancehall and reggaetón through contemporary art. Once grassroots scenes, both genres have become globally influential movements tied closely to sexual and political liberation. The show features works by more than 35 artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Edra Soto, supakid and Lee “Scratch” Perry.

A Tale of Today Presents Brendan Fernandes: In the Round
Richard H. Driehaus Museum, April 8–11, May 6–9, September 16–19, October 14–17, November 11–14

As the Driehaus Museum’s first artist-in-residence, Brendan Fernandes will transform the Murphy Auditorium into a dynamic site for sculpture, movement and sound. Inspired by the Judson Dance Theater, Fernandes’s Scores for the Murphy Auditorium will unfold as an episodic residency throughout 2026. 

Instructions for Care
Gallery Wrightwood, Mar 21–May 9

This community-driven exhibition centers trans textile art as a vibrant medium for storytelling, compassion, and mutual support. The show features quilts created over the past two years alongside heirloom pieces from the Transmissions Quilts Project. Together, the works explore how handmade objects carry memory, connection and care across time. Opening night features live music, a raffle and Clean Air Club accessibility protocols.

Barbara Nessim: My Compass Is the Line
DePaul Art Museum, Now–Jun 21, 2026

DePaul Art Museum will be unfortunately closing this June, and they're going out with some of their finest curatorial work yet. Since the 1960s, Barbara Nessim has built a distinctive visual language that challenges traditional ideas about femininity and representation. One of the first women to gain prominence in the male-dominated world of commercial illustration, Nessim later became a pioneer of computer art in the 1980s. This exhibition—her first in Chicago—features paintings, drawings, digital works and a site-specific installation. It also highlights her famed sketchbooks, which the artist calls her “forever books,” a raw and unfiltered record of her creative process.

Dispossessions in the Americas
Wrightwood 659, Apr 17–Jul 18, 2026

This sweeping exhibition examines the long legacy of dispossession across the Americas, tracking colonial conquest up to the present day. Bringing together more than 40 works by 36 artists from across Latin America, the show explores how land, culture and identity have been shaped by centuries of extraction and resistance. Organized around themes of Territory, Body and Cultural Heritage, the exhibition spans photography, sculpture, installation and video. 

Bold Type: “First Light” by CAConrad
The Poetry Foundation, Apr 1–Aug 1, 2026

This installation launches Bold Type, a new design series from Poetry Magazine that brings poetry into public space. The Poetry Foundation’s central gallery becomes the canvas for “First Light,” a poem by CAConrad presented as a large-scale visual installation designed by the design studio Pentagram. Visitors are invited to read, wander and linger inside the poem rather than simply turning a page. Additional Bold Type installations will appear across Chicago throughout the year.