NYC's Must-See Museum Shows (May 2026)
8 museum exhibitions on view in NYC in May 2026 across MoMA, the Met, the Whitney, the New Museum, the Jewish Museum, El Museo del Barrio, the Morgan Library, the Drawing Center, Swiss Institute, MoMA PS1, and Dia Chelsea. Below: the shows in rough order of priority, with the museum, the run dates, and what to plan for.
1. New Humans: Memories of the Future at ๐๏ธ New Museum
- Gallery
- ๐๏ธ New Museum
- Address
- 235 Bowery, Lower East Side
- On view
- Mar 21, 2026 โ Jul 27, 2026
New Humans: Memories of the Future is at ๐๏ธ New Museum, 235 Bowery, Lower East Side, on view Mar 21 โ Jul 27, 2026. Tickets available at tinyurl.com/26ww2yxx A.C.M., Rebecca Allen, Sophia Al-Maria, Monira Al Qadiri, Yuri Ancarani, Karel Appel, Ayรฉ A. Aton, Francis Bacon, Nanni Balestrini, Ivana Baลกiฤ, Thomas Bayrle, Lucy Beech, Hans Bellmer, Benedetta, Meriem Bennani, Emery Blagdon, Erwin Blumenfeld, Alexander Skunder Boghossian, F.W.
Plan thirty minutes minimum at ๐๏ธ New Museum โ the works reward time. The gallery is closed Mondays.
2. Domestic News by Jiajia Zhang at ๐๏ธ Swiss Institute
- Show
- Domestic News
- Artist
- Jiajia Zhang
- Gallery
- ๐๏ธ Swiss Institute
- Address
- 38 St Marks Pl, East Village
- On view
- Apr 29, 2026 โ Jul 6, 2026
Domestic News is at ๐๏ธ Swiss Institute, 38 St Marks Pl, East Village, on view Apr 29 โ Jul 6, 2026. Swiss Institute (SI) presents Domestic News, the first institutional solo exhibition in the US by artist Jiajia Zhang. Centered on a newly commissioned five-channel video installation, the exhibition transforms the gallery into a rounded mirror chamber that stages a prismatic view of contemporary Shanghai.
Through July 6, 2026. ๐๏ธ Swiss Institute keeps standard NYC gallery hours, Tuesday through Saturday.
3. The Machine by David Lamelas at ๐๏ธ Dia Chelsea
- Show
- The Machine
- Artist
- David Lamelas
- Gallery
- ๐๏ธ Dia Chelsea
- Address
- 537 W 22nd St, Chelsea
- On view
- Mar 6, 2026 โ Jan 17, 2027
The Machine is at ๐๏ธ Dia Chelsea, 537 W 22nd St, Chelsea, on view Mar 6, 2026 โ Jan 17, 2027. David Lamelas: The Machine is a comprehensive survey exhibition of the Argentine artist's work and his first major solo presentation in New York. A foundational yet overlooked figure of 1960s and '70s art, Lamelas has produced paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations, performances, and films, bridging Conceptual, Minimalist, and Pop approaches to art making.
Worth combining with the nearby galleries on the same block. ๐๏ธ Dia Chelsea is closed Mondays.
4. Making Visible by Ceija Stojka at ๐๏ธ Drawing Center
- Show
- Making Visible
- Artist
- Ceija Stojka
- Gallery
- ๐๏ธ Drawing Center
- Address
- 35 Wooster St, SoHo
- On view
- Feb 19, 2026 โ Jun 8, 2026
Making Visible is at ๐๏ธ Drawing Center, 35 Wooster St, SoHo, on view Feb 19 โ Jun 8, 2026. Ceija Stojka: Making Visible features the work of Roma artist, activist, writer, lyricist, and singer Ceija Stojka (1933-2013). Comprising more than sixty artworks, as well as a selection of sketchbooks, archival material, and documentary films made during Stojka's lifetime, Making Visible explores the fullness of Stojka's production as a visual artist, centered in her Romaโฆ
On view through June 8, 2026. Allow at least twenty minutes; the gallery is generally quietest on weekday afternoons.
5. Marcel Duchamp by Marcel Duchamp at ๐๏ธ Museum of Modern Art
- Show
- Marcel Duchamp
- Artist
- Marcel Duchamp
- Gallery
- ๐๏ธ Museum of Modern Art
- Address
- 11 W 53rd St, Midtown
- On view
- Apr 12, 2026 โ Aug 23, 2026
Marcel Duchamp is at ๐๏ธ Museum of Modern Art, 11 W 53rd St, Midtown, on view Apr 12 โ Aug 23, 2026. Tickets available at tinyurl.com/458445yd โWhy is this art?โ is a question often asked by viewers of contemporary art. It is virtually impossible to answer it without referring to the work of Marcel Duchamp (1887โ1968).
๐๏ธ Museum of Modern Art is most easily reached by subway; check the gallery's hours before walking over, since most NYC galleries are closed Mondays.
6. In the Flesh by Joan Semmel at ๐๏ธ Jewish Museum
- Show
- In the Flesh
- Artist
- Joan Semmel
- Gallery
- ๐๏ธ Jewish Museum
- Address
- 1109 5th Ave, Upper East Side
- On view
- Dec 12, 2025 โ Jun 1, 2026
In the Flesh is at ๐๏ธ Jewish Museum, 1109 5th Ave, Upper East Side, on view Dec 12, 2025 โ Jun 1, 2026. Tickets available at tinyurl.com/mrvkhkme Spotlighting Semmel's singular perspective, Joan Semmel: In the Flesh presents the artist's iconic paintings and self-images alongside works from the Museum's collection to explore parallel themes of the body, intimacy, and autonomy.
Plan thirty minutes minimum at ๐๏ธ Jewish Museum โ the works reward time. The gallery is closed Mondays.
7. Double Exposures by Sophie Rivera at ๐๏ธ El Museo del Barrio
- Show
- Double Exposures
- Artist
- Sophie Rivera
- Gallery
- ๐๏ธ El Museo del Barrio
- Address
- 1230 5th Ave, East Harlem
- On view
- Apr 23, 2026 โ Aug 3, 2026
Double Exposures is at ๐๏ธ El Museo del Barrio, 1230 5th Ave, East Harlem, on view Apr 23 โ Aug 3, 2026. El Museo del Barrio is proud to present Sophie Rivera: Double Exposures, the first museum survey dedicated to the groundbreaking photographer Sophie Rivera (1938โ2021). The exhibition offers a long-overdue reevaluation of Rivera's contributions to photography and Nuyorican visual culture, while celebrating her deep, historic connection to El Museoโwhere she organizedโฆ
Through August 3, 2026. ๐๏ธ El Museo del Barrio keeps standard NYC gallery hours, Tuesday through Saturday.
8. Carol Bove by Carol Bove at ๐๏ธ Guggenheim Museum
- Show
- Carol Bove
- Artist
- Carol Bove
- Gallery
- ๐๏ธ Guggenheim Museum
- Address
- 1071 5th Ave, Upper East Side
- On view
- Mar 5, 2026 โ Aug 3, 2026
Carol Bove is at ๐๏ธ Guggenheim Museum, 1071 5th Ave, Upper East Side, on view Mar 5 โ Aug 3, 2026. Tickets available at tinyurl.com/mwsrhds8 Carol Bove is the first museum survey and largest presentation to date of the work of American artist Carol Bove (b. 1971, Geneva, Switzerland; lives and works in Brooklyn, NY).
Worth combining with the nearby galleries on the same block. ๐๏ธ Guggenheim Museum is closed Mondays.
How to plan a walk
Museum visits demand a full day each โ plan two weekends or two long days. Group MoMA and the Morgan Library on a single Midtown day. Group the Met, Guggenheim, and Jewish Museum on an Upper East Side day. The Whitney and the New Museum each merit their own visit. MoMA PS1, Dia Chelsea, and El Museo del Barrio are good half-day stops.
On the map
14 galleries ยท Open the full NYC map โ
Frequently asked
What's the best museum show in NYC right now?
May 2026 brings strong shows across MoMA, the Met, the Whitney, the Jewish Museum, El Museo del Barrio, MoMA PS1, the Morgan Library, Swiss Institute, the Drawing Center, and Dia Chelsea. Full list above.
Are NYC museums free?
Several offer free admission with NYC ID, pay-what-you-wish hours, or always-free entry: MoMA (Friday 4-8pm free), the Met (pay-what-you-wish for NY/NJ/CT residents), Brooklyn Museum (pay-what-you-wish), the Studio Museum in Harlem (always free), and the Bronx Museum (always free).
What time should I arrive to avoid lines at MoMA?
Open at 10:30am โ arrive by 10:45am on weekdays, or by 10:15am on weekends. Friday after 4pm is busiest for the free hours.
How long should I plan for a museum visit?
Two to four hours for the Met or MoMA. One to two hours for the Whitney, New Museum, Jewish Museum, or El Museo del Barrio. Plan around a single floor or single exhibition rather than trying to see everything.
