
A curated roundup of 25+ major exhibition openings in May 2026—Venice Biennale, Met, LACMA, Grand Palais, Forbidden City, and more—each with key works, ticket info, and a 「worth flying for?」verdict.





| Museum | Exhibition | Opens | Closes | Ticket | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Art Museum | Monochrome: Calder and Tara Donovan | May 13 | Jan 17, 2027 | Museum admission | Donovan's installations (mylar, slinkies, tar paper) paired with Calder's sculptural black |
| MFA Houston | Picasso–Klee–Matisse: Masterpieces from Museum Berggruen | May 20 | Sept 13 | Museum admission | U.S. debut of Berlin's Museum Berggruen; 95+ works with Giacometti, Braque, Cézanne |
| NGA Washington | Beneath the Surface: Mining and American Photography | May 23 | Aug 23 | Free | Nearly two centuries of American mining photography; NGA is always free |




| Museum | Exhibition | Dates | Ticket | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venice Biennale | In Minor Keys (+ 100 national pavilions) | May 9–Nov 22 | €30 / 3-day €40 | Yes — twice-a-decade event; posthumous edition with unusual weight |
| LACMA, Los Angeles | David Geffen Galleries opening | Open now | Museum admission | If nearby — building is the main event this year |
| The Broad, Los Angeles | Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind | May 23–Oct 11 | Free | Yes — first SoCal solo; free admission removes the barrier |
| The Met, New York | Costume Art | May 10–Jan 10, 2027 | $30 | If in NYC — inaugural gallery opening carries institutional weight |
| SFMOMA | Matisse's Femme au chapeau | May 16–Sept 13 | $10–12 surcharge | Yes — only venue; restages a 1905 scandal |
| Grand Palais, Paris | Hilma af Klint | May 6–Aug 30 | Standard entry | Yes — first-ever France show; art-history significant |
| Tate Britain, London | James McNeill Whistler | May 21–Sept 27 | £24 | Yes — 30-year gap; Whistler's Mother on loan from Orsay |
| Kew Gardens, London | Henry Moore: Monumental Nature | May 9–Jan 31, 2027 | ~£20 with entry | If in London — largest Moore outdoor show ever, in ideal season |
| Mori Art Museum, Tokyo | Ron Mueck | Apr 29–Sept 23 | Roppongi Hills ticket | Yes — final Asian stop; Mass is a once-in-a-visit experience |
| Kyoto National Museum | Kitano Tenjin | Apr 18–June 14 | Museum admission | Yes — historic first; full scroll never before publicly shown |
labiennale.org
labiennale.org
theartnewspaper.com
theartnewspaper.com
architecturalrecord.com
thebroad.org
metmuseum.org
metmuseum.org
brooklynmuseum.org
brooklynmuseum.org
visit.mcachicago.org
sfmoma.org
grandpalais.fr
tate.org.uk
musee-orsay.fr
museoreinasofia.es
museothyssen.org
museothyssen.org
fondationbeyeler.ch
britishmuseum.org
mori.art.museum
kyohaku.go.jp
mplus.org.hk
museum.go.kr
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