If you’re plotting your 2026 travels with culture firmly on the agenda, Asia has some seriously compelling exhibitions lined up. Pulled from a wider global roundup by Time Out editors, these shows stand out not just for what’s on the walls, but for where they’re happening. You’ve got yet another reason to book that flight.

In Taiwan, Taichung’s long-awaited new art museum opens with A Call of All Beings: See You Tomorrow, Same Time, Same Place (until April 12, 2026) Spread across a striking multi-building complex in Central Park, the exhibition brings together dozens of artists and collectives to explore how humans, animals and landscapes coexist. It’s a big-brain way to get to know a city that’s fast becoming a cultural heavyweight.

Singapore joins the list with Botero: The Heart of Volume (from early 2026), the inaugural exhibition at the new IMBA Theatre at Gardens by the Bay. Expect bold forms, colour and humour in an immersive setting that blends art with outdoor space. It’s an ode to the late Colombian master whose sculptures are found all around the lion city.

And in Tokyo, nostalgia takes centre stage at the Museum of Contemporary Art with Eric Carle: Art, Books, and the Caterpillar (April 25 – July 26, 2026). Expect a joyful deep dive into the visual world behind one of the most beloved children’s books ever published. Plan a visit in late March to catch the 2026 cherry blossom season.

Here are the best exhibitions in 2026, according to Time Out Global:

Biennale of Sydney: Rememory – Multiple venues, Sydney, Australia
Edvard Munch – Portraits – Kunstsilo, Kristiansand, Norway
Matisse’s Jazz: Rhythms in Color – Art Institute of Chicago, USA
Histórias da ecologia – Museu de Arte São Paulo, Brazil
The 90s – Tate Britain, London, UK
Paname by Bilal Hamdad – Petit Palais, Paris, France
Raphael: Sublime Poetry – The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Fashioning Chinese Women: Empire to Modernity – LACMA, Los Angeles, USA
Metamorphoses – Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam) & Galleria Borghese (Rome)
200 Years – Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Scotland
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style – The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London, UK
Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor – WA Museum Boola Bardip, Perth, Australia
Pierre Huyghe – Halle am Berghain, Berlin, Germany
A Call of All Beings: See You Tomorrow, Same Time, Same Place – Taichung Art Museum, Taichung City, Taiwan
Afflict the Comfortable, Comfort the Afflicted – Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town, South Africa
The Obligation of the Circle – Baró Galeria, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Cartier – NGV International, Melbourne, Australia
Botero: The Heart of Volume – IMBA Theatre, Singapore
Eric Carle: Art, Books, and the Caterpillar – Museum of Contemporary Art (MOT), Tokyo, Japan