The Must-See Art Exhibitions of 2026
- lisahylton2
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
From medieval masterpieces to modern icons, 2026 is shaping up to be a vintage year for art lovers in London.
Art lovers have much to look forward to in 2026, with a packed exhibition calendar celebrating artists at the height of long, distinguished careers alongside ambitious museum shows that promise both spectacle and substance. From ancient embroidery to contemporary painting, this is a year that rewards curiosity — and advance booking.
A clear theme is venerability. Major institutions are honouring artists in their later decades, proving creativity does not dim with age. At the Royal Academy of Arts, 91-year-old painter Rose Wylie receives a landmark solo exhibition, The Picture Comes First, from 28 February to 19 April 2026. Once dismissed by critics, Wylie’s exuberant paintings — featuring footballers, animals and pop-culture figures — are now celebrated for their wit and deep engagement with art history.
Elsewhere, Britain’s most beloved living artist, David Hockney, returns to London with A Year in Normandy at the Serpentine Galleries, running from 12 March to 23 August 2026. Inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, this monumental frieze sets the stage for what may be the cultural event of the year: the Bayeux Tapestry itself, arriving at the British Museum from 3 September 2026 until July 2027, marking its first return to Britain in almost 1,000 years.
The British Museum also delivers earlier in the year with two ambitious historical shows. Hawaiʻi: A Kingdom Crossing Oceans runs until 25 May 2026, while Samurai — a sweeping survey of Japan’s warrior class — opens 3 February and closes 4 May 2026, bringing together around 280 objects spanning centuries.
London’s contemporary scene is equally strong. Tracey Emin receives a full-scale retrospective at Tate Modern from 27 February to 31 August 2026, charting four decades of confessional, emotionally charged work. Later in the year, Tate Britain mounts a long-awaited retrospective of James McNeill Whistler, running from 21 May to 27 September 2026, celebrating the artist who championed “art for art’s sake”.
Spectacle seekers should head to the Hayward Gallery, where Anish Kapoor unveils new monumental works from 16 June to 18 October 2026, a highlight of the Southbank Centre’s 75th-anniversary programme.
Classic art lovers are well served at the National Gallery, with a major exhibition on Zurbarán from 2 May to 23 August 2026, followed by Renoir and Love from 3 October 2026 to 31 January 2027, featuring the UK debut of Bal au Moulin de la Galette. The year closes with Van Eyck: The Portraits, opening 21 November 2026 and running until 11 April 2027, bringing together all nine of the artist’s surviving portraits.
Finally, Tate Britain looks to more recent history with The 90s, guest-curated by Edward Enninful, opening 1 October 2026 and running until 14 February 2027, celebrating a decade that reshaped British culture.
Taken together, 2026 offers Londoners and visitors alike a rare opportunity to experience art across a millennium — presented with ambition, authority and unforgettable scale.
