Blue Chip Gallery Shows in NYC (May 2026)
8 blue-chip gallery shows are on view at NYC flagships this May — Gagosian, David Zwirner, Pace, Hauser & Wirth, Sean Kelly, Petzel, Andrew Kreps, James Cohan, Lévy Gorvy, Acquavella, Almine Rech, 303 Gallery, Lehmann Maupin, and Paula Cooper. Every show below is at a NYC address; every gallery is open to the public for free.
Below: the full list with title, artist, gallery, neighborhood, and end date — with practical notes on what to expect.
1. Important Early Works from the Cy Twombly Foundation by Robert Rauschenberg at Gagosian
- Artist
- Robert Rauschenberg
- Gallery
- Gagosian
- Address
- 974 Madison Ave, Upper East Side
- On view
- Apr 25, 2026 – Jun 28, 2026
Important Early Works from the Cy Twombly Foundation is at Gagosian, 974 Madison Ave, Upper East Side, on view Apr 25 – Jun 28, 2026. Gagosian is pleased to present an exhibition of six important early works by Robert Rauschenberg from the Cy Twombly Foundation. Organized during the centennial of Rauschenberg’s birth, this presentation accompanies the exhibition of works by Marcel Duchamp that will inaugurate the gallery’s new ground-floor space in the historic building at 980 Madison Avenue. Rauschenberg.
2. The Reflection of Bronze by Giuseppe Penone at Gagosian
- Artist
- Giuseppe Penone
- Gallery
- Gagosian
- Address
- 555 W 24th St, Chelsea
- On view
- Apr 22, 2026 – Jul 3, 2026
The Reflection of Bronze is at Gagosian, 555 W 24th St, Chelsea, on view Apr 22 – Jul 3, 2026. Gagosian is pleased to present The Reflection of Bronze, an exhibition of new bronze sculptures by Giuseppe Penone. This is the artist's first exhibition with the gallery in New York and marks the debut of two major bodies of work. Curated by Adam D.
3. Ghosts by Eliza Douglas at Gagosian
Ghosts is at Gagosian, 821 Park Ave, Upper East Side, on view May 12 – Aug 1, 2026. Gagosian is pleased to present Ghosts, an exhibition of new mixed-media paintings by Eliza Douglas. The first in a series of solo presentations by different artists curated by Francesco Bonami, it is also Douglas's first solo exhibition in New York and her first at the gallery.
4. The Great Unseen Collection: A Selection of Works from Joel and Carole Bernstein at David Zwirner
- Gallery
- David Zwirner
- Address
- 525 W 19th St, Chelsea
- On view
- May 7, 2026 – Jun 14, 2026
The Great Unseen Collection: A Selection of Works from Joel and Carole Bernstein is at David Zwirner, 525 W 19th St, Chelsea, on view May 7 – Jun 14, 2026. Romare Bearden, Joan Brown, Roger Brown, Joe Coleman, Jean Dubuffet, Eric Fischl, Audrey Flack, David Gilhooly, Alex Katz, Alice Neel, Fairfield Porter, Peter Saul, Bob Thompson, Andy Warhol, John Wesley, Tom Wesselmann, Joseph Yoakum Affectionately dubbed The Great Unseen Collection by the Bernsteins and their family, David Zwirner is pleased to present this special present.
5. Set in Stone at David Zwirner
- Show
- Set in Stone
- Gallery
- David Zwirner
- Address
- 34 E 69th St, Upper East Side
- On view
- May 12, 2026 – Jun 27, 2026
Set in Stone is at David Zwirner, 34 E 69th St, Upper East Side, on view May 12 – Jun 27, 2026. David Zwirner is pleased to present Set in Stone, an expansive group exhibition organized in collaboration with Galerie Kugel, the renowned Parisian gallery of pre-twentieth-century art. Curated by Emma Kronman, this presentation at David Zwirner's East 69th Street location in New York places a considered group of paintings and sculpture by modern and contemporary artists from.
6. The Joy of Painting by Lisa Yuskavage at David Zwirner
- Artist
- Lisa Yuskavage
- Gallery
- David Zwirner
- Address
- 533 W 19th St, Chelsea
- On view
- May 14, 2026 – Jun 27, 2026
The Joy of Painting is at David Zwirner, 533 W 19th St, Chelsea, on view May 14 – Jun 27, 2026. David Zwirner is pleased to present an exhibition of new and recent paintings and works on paper by American artist Lisa Yuskavage. This is Yuskavage’s tenth solo exhibition with David Zwirner and marks twenty years since her first show with the gallery in 2006.
7. Statics of an Egg at David Zwirner
- Gallery
- David Zwirner
- Address
- 52 Walker St, Tribeca
- On view
- May 8, 2026 – Jun 28, 2026
Statics of an Egg is at David Zwirner, 52 Walker St, Tribeca, on view May 8 – Jun 28, 2026. Ryoko Aoki, Masaya Chiba, Miho Dohi, Koji Enokura, Daisuke Fukunaga, Kenji Ide, Soshiro Matsubara, Yutaka Matsuzawa, Natsuyuki Nakanishi, Fujiko Nakaya, Yu Nishimura, Hikari Ono, Reina Sugihara, Masanori Tomita, Isamu Wakabayashi David Zwirner is pleased to present Statics of an Egg, an exhibition bringing together a selection of multimedia work by a group of Japanese-born a.
8. The Moon Room by David Hockney at Pace Gallery
- Show
- The Moon Room
- Artist
- David Hockney
- Gallery
- Pace Gallery
- Address
- 540 W 25th St, Chelsea
- On view
- May 14, 2026 – Aug 15, 2026
The Moon Room is at Pace Gallery, 540 W 25th St, Chelsea, on view May 14 – Aug 15, 2026. Pace presents an exhibition of iPad paintings from David Hockney's Moon Room. Hockney created these works while quarantining at his 17th-century half-timbered farmhouse in Normandy during the Covid-19 pandemic.
How to plan a walk
All the blue chips below are clustered tightly in Chelsea (C/E to 23rd Street), Tribeca (1 to Franklin), and the Upper East Side (4/5/6 to 77th). A weekend gives you time for two neighborhoods comfortably. Use Gallop's map to cluster shows by subway stop, save the ones you want, and pace the day around lunch.
On the map
14 galleries · Open the full NYC map →
Frequently asked
Which blue-chip NYC galleries are showing strong work in May 2026?
Gagosian, David Zwirner, Pace, Hauser & Wirth, Sean Kelly, Petzel, Andrew Kreps, Lévy Gorvy, Acquavella, Almine Rech, 303 Gallery, Paula Cooper, and Lehmann Maupin all have substantial shows on view. Most are concentrated in Chelsea, with overflow on the Upper East Side and Tribeca.
Are blue-chip gallery shows free?
Yes — every commercial gallery in NYC is free and open to the public. No tickets, no reservations, no museum admission.
What's the etiquette at blue-chip galleries?
Greet the front desk, pick up a checklist, take your time, and don't touch anything. Most blue chips welcome questions but won't volunteer information unless asked.
Can I take photos in blue-chip galleries?
Usually yes for personal non-flash photography. Always ask the front desk first; certain shows or specific works are off-limits.
