The 19 biggest and best exhibitions worth travelling for in 2026

Sydney, Australia

Galleries all over the planet are pulling out the stops with their programmes this year, but none can really compare with the effort Sydney has put into its 25th Biennale, which runs from mid-March to mid-June. Five brilliant venues – White Bay Power Station, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, and Penrith Regional Gallery – are playing host to artwork all centred around the theme of ‘rememory’ (the ‘delicate space between remembering and forgetting’). The best part? They’re all free to visit. 

March 14 – June 14, 2026

Kristiansand, Norway

Contrary to popular belief, Edvard Munch, the Norwegian painter whose most-known work is undoubtedly the eerie and unsettling ‘The Scream’, was far from an isolated and troubled genius. Instead, Munch had a broad and varied social circle of family, friends, intellectuals and fellow artists, whom he often captured in his works of portraiture. These works, the people featured in them and the influence they had on Munch’s artistic direction, make up the direction of this exhibition’s focus. Adapted from what was first on display at London’s National Portrait Gallery, Kunstsilo will also showcase works from Munch’s own collection alongside lots of lesser-known paintings by the artist, all to shine a light on what has been described as an ‘under-communicated’ branch of his career. 

February 5 – May 10, 2026

Chicago, USA

Cut paper might not seem as lofty an art material as paint, pencil, or ink, but after an excruciating abdominal surgery which left him unable to pick up a brush, Henri Matisse turned to it as his medium. Twenty different cut-paper models were formed, all drawn from his memories of Parisian music halls and trips to Tahiti, as well as folktales, circuses and mythology, and they were reproduced in 1947 in stencil to form an unbounded book, Jazz, accompanied by copy from the artist himself. Now, the Art Institute of Chicago is showing Jazz in its entirety for the very first time since it was acquired by the museum back in 1948. 

March 7 – June 1, 2026

São Paulo, Brazil

In coincidence with but not as a direct result of Brazil’s hosting of COP30 in 2025, this exhibition at São Paulo’s gleaming art museum aims to explore the concept of ecology through the work not just of artists, but also activists and whole social movements. Sure, your first thought was probably images of nature, but the term ‘ecology’, which better encapsulates the natural world’s relationship with our human society, was a deliberate curatorial decision. Of the 116 works on display, mostly by artists who hail from the ‘global south’, emphasis is on the necessity of a coordinated and collaborative response from all corners of the planet to tackle climate change. 

Until February 1, 2026

London, UK

After an '80s-heavy 2025 programme, the Tate galleries are moving up a decade for 2026. In the autumn, a blockbuster show all about British art, fashion, photography and pop culture, curated by none other than former British Vogue editor Edward Enniful OBE, will be opening. Expect flashy photography from David Sims, Corrine Day, and Juergen Teller, legendary looks by Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood, and artworks by Yinka Shonibare, Gillian Wearing and Damien Hurst, all of which define this iconic era. 

From 1 October, 2026 – 14 February, 2027

Paris, France

Art’s job is to raise questions, about everything from a piece’s subject matter to the political climate in which the work was produced. Questions are exactly what you’ll have after visiting this exhibition of illusionist Bilal Hamdad. He was trained at the Fine Arts of Sidi Bel Abbes and Paris, and while it isn’t clear if his works are paintings or photography, they’re actually the secret third option – both. To decipher which is which, head to the Petit Palais for a proper examination, which is showcasing 20 artworks, including two brand-new pieces. 

Until February 8, 2026

New York, USA

Who is worthy of the title of one of the greatest artists of all time? It’s probable that the likes of Frida Kahlo, Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso spring to mind, but Raphael (full name Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino), the Italian Renaissance painter and architect, has got to be up there, too. A sprawling retrospective of over 200 drawings, paintings, tapestries decorative arts is set to open at The MET in the spring, and we can expect blockbuster pieces like ‘The Alba Madonna’, a prime example of the artists’ mastery of harmony and classical beauty, alongside lesser-known works, which have been lent from institutions all over the world. 

March 29 – June 28, 2026

Los Angeles, USA

After you’ve paid LACMA’s shiny new David Geffen Galleries a visit, be sure to stop by BCAM for a beautifully curated journey through Chinese women’s fashion. On mannequins which have been specially customised by fashion designer Jason Wu, everything from the iconic cheongsam dresses of the 1960s way back to the floaty, intricately embroidered robes of the Qing Dynasty will be on display, in a vivid display of colour, texture, pattern and stellar craftsmanship. In total we can expect 70 different ensembles to be included, which have been sourced from Shanghai, Hong Kong and the US. 

June 14 – October 25, 2026

Amsterdam and Rome

This landmark exhibition will bring together the titans of art history – from Caravaggio to Magritte, Rembrandt to Bourgeois – in two of Europe’s art capitals. Works in the collection all fall broadly under the influence of Ovid’s epic eponymous poem, depicting themes of transformation, the fluidity of identity and the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Of the 80-plus masterpieces on display, highlights include Titian’s Danaë and Caravaggio’s Narcissus, Arcimboldo's fantastical composite heads, and contemporary photography from Ulay and Juul Kraijer.

February 6 - May 25 at Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; June 22 - September 20 at Galleria Borghese, Rome 

Edinburgh, Scotland

Since it was founded in 1826, Edinburgh’s Royal Scottish Academy has been a defiant champion of Scottish art and architecture. In 2026 the institution will celebrate its 200th year by doing what it does best: bringing together Scotland’s greatest museums and galleries for a mighty feast of contemporary Scottish art. Festivities will last all year, and while the centrepiece is the Annual Exhibition, my pick of the bunch is ‘200 Years’. Promising to ‘celebrate the rich history of Scottish art in all its forms over the last two centuries’, expect The Mound gallery’s neoclassical halls will be populated by paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints by the last two centuries’ foremost Scottish artists.

Throughout 2026

London, UK

Being Britain’s longest-reigning monarch (after 7 decades on the throne) can only mean one thing – the late Queen Elizabeth II had her fair share of high-profile style moments. In what is set to be the largest-ever exhibition of her fashion (which will mark the centenary of her birth) around half of the 200 items have never been on display before. Visitors will journey all the way through the late Queen’s life, from a silver laméand tulle bridesmaid dress she wore to the Duke of Kent’s wedding in 1934, to the sharply-cut riding jackets of her 50s, but it’s far from clothes on display. Jewellery, hats, shoes and accessories, lots of which feature diplomatically significant emblems, plus sketches, letters and fabric samples all document not just the Queen’s personal style evolution, but how twentieth century British fashion morphed and changed, too. 

April 10 – October 18, 2026

Perth, Australia

The Qin dynasty’s Terracotta Warriors are just as much a Chinese cultural treasure as the Great Wall, and in what is set to be Western Australia’s largest ever museum exhibition, eight of the original 8,000 statues – which are 2,000 years old but were only discovered by some unsuspecting farmers in 1974 – will be on display. Sure, that doesn’t sound like loads, but China only lends out a maximum of 10 at a time, so their presence, alongside just over 200 other ancient artefacts (half of which have never left China before) is quite something. 

Until February 22, 2026

Berlin, Germany

This is one for the science nerds. As the result of a conversation between esteemed contemporary artist Pierre Huyghe and scientist Tommaso Calarco, a fascinating and bizarre installation at Halle am Berghain will envelop visitors into an investigation into ‘uncertainty’ which has been created using quantum experiments. The ‘environment’ is a large-scale space which features film, sound, vibration, dust and light, and apparently follows a faceless human form. Described by Pierre Huyghe himself as ‘a hybrid creature, an infinite membrane carved by void’, this installation sounds like an ominous but intriguing sight to behold. 

23 January – 8 March, 2026

Taichung City, Taiwan

It used to be the site of a military base and Shuinan Airport, but now, Taichung’s Central Park is home to a shiny new art museum and library, comprising eight buildings all connected by a six-storey atrium, which allows slices of the surrounding greenery to permeate the space. To reflect all this, the inaugural exhibition, which will feature work from 80 collectives and artists, will explore the relationships between humans, animals, plants and the environment through themes like migration, language, mythology and the history of flora and fauna, and there’ll all be presented in five different sections. 

Until April 12, 2026

Cape Town, South Africa

Okay, you might be thinking that immersive art has already reached its peak, but this intriguing sensory exhibition at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa is set to be a stimulating insight into artist Cauleen Smith’s practice. Early in her career, Smith was part of a pioneering generation of filmmakers who highlighted Hollywood’s neglect of the Black experience, and her project at Zeitz features installations where drawings react with textile banners, sculptures, noise and short films that further her inquiry into Black feminism, Black experimental cinema, and Afrocentric aesthetics. 

Until October 4, 2026

Abu Dhabi, UAE 

With help from Fatima, Fawzia, Qadria, Tahira, Zahra, Zakia, and Ziagul, who are women from a Kabul weaving circle, artist Christopher Joshua Benton has produced a series of ‘kilim’ tapestries. The artists’ debut exhibition is all about communal infrastructure and collective belonging, and the works feature memories literally woven in from these merchants’ homelands and personal lives, from migration narratives to a yearning for returning home, all researched at ‘making and storytelling’ sessions. 

Until 13 March 2026

Melbourne, Australia

Calling all the magpies out there – Melbourne’s NGV International is about to play host to one hell of a glitzy exhibition as part of its Winter Masterpieces, charting the evolution of none other than revered jewellery house Cartier. A whopping 300 sparkling jewels, tiaras, necklaces, brooches, timepieces and even design drawings will be on display in the largest-ever exhibition staged by the brand in Australia, including stones worn by Elizabeth Taylor, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret and Rihanna. The centrepiece? That’ll be a showstopping display of 20 tiaras. 

June 12 - October 4, 2026

Singapore

A visit to Gardens by the Bay, with its sprawling array of more than 1.5 million plants, is already a pretty enchanting immersive experience, but Singapore’s waterfront park is about to have a brand-new venue added: IMBA Theatre. The space is set to open in January 2026, and ‘Botero: The Heart of Volume’, an exhibition of illustrations by the eponymous Colombian artist, will be the first works featured. Known for his lavish use of bold colour, full contouring lines and sense of humour conveyed in his paintings, the artist’s works will be displayed across the gallery space and open-air setting. 

From early 2026

Tokyo, Japan

Did you even have a childhood if you didn’t turn the hole-punched pages of The Very Hungry Caterpillar? Originally published in 1969, this children’s classic will be celebrated at Tokyo’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOT), marking 50 years since the book’s Japanese release (Japan was the first place the beloved caterpillar ever appeared in print). Prepare to feast your eyes upon 180 objects – all bursting with bold bright colours, playful patterns, and Eric Carle’s specially curated collages. Over 27 picture books will also feature, offering a deep dive into the ingenuity of Carle’s imagination. The late American author and illustrator was famed for his fresh take on storytelling; simple shapes are layered with textured hand-painted tissue paper, resulting in whimsical works that were deceptively clever and remain iconic to this day. 

April 25 - July 26, 2026