Lee Cheshire, Elena Goukassian and Catherine Hickley, The most exciting museum openings in 2026, The Art Newspaper, 1 January 2026

From the idyllic Slovenian countryside to the heart of Los Angeles, here are ten of the biggest new and expanded museums opening this year

A trio of prominent museum openings is expected in Los Angeles in 2026. Perhaps the most anticipated is the expansion of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma). Its new David Geffen Galleries—designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor and under construction since 2020—will almost double the museum’s total gallery space with an added 110,000 sq. ft floating over Wilshire Boulevard. The Lacma expansion opens in April and also includes a theatre, education spaces, restaurants, gift shop and 3.5 acres of art-filled public outdoor space.

Read more: Must-see museum openings in 2026