Must-see exhibitions in May 2026: practical guide to shows in Italy

Must-see exhibitions in May 2026

May 2026 brings a busy exhibition schedule across Italy, featuring major international events and solo shows in public and private venues. Below is a practical guide to the main exhibitions, locations and useful visiting tips.

Highlighted exhibitions

• Padiglione Italia — Venice Biennale 2026: "Con te con tutto" curated by Cecilia Canziani. Ceramic installations and dialogues between tradition and contemporary practice. When: from 9 May to 22 November 2026. Where: Giardini and Arsenale, Venice.
• Marina Abramović — Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice: a retrospective focused on performance practice and conceptual art.
• Diana Markosian — Gallerie d’Italia, Turin: photographic projects and contemporary visual storytelling.
• Alessandro Mendini — Villa Giulia, Verbania: tribute to Mendini’s design work and theoretical contributions.
• Luigi Ghirri — Palazzo dei Musei, Reggio Emilia: a study on photography and landscape.
• Arthur Jafa and Richard Prince — Fondazione Prada, Venice: a dialogue between differing contemporary visual languages.
• Mimmo Rotella — Palazzo Ducale, Genoa; Mimmo Paladino — Palazzo Citterio, Milan; Brian Eno — Parma; Isaac Julien — Bergamo.
• Other institutional and gallery shows: Walter Pfeiffer (Pinacoteca Agnelli), Marco Fusinato (PAC Milan), Monica Biancardi (MAN Nuoro), Giuseppe Chiari (Galleria Susanna Orlando, Pietrasanta) and local projects.

Practical information

• Tickets: for major events like the Biennale, book online in advance to avoid queues and secure your preferred time slot.
• Opening hours: always check the venue’s official timetable; many institutions adapt hours on weekends or during collateral events.
• Guided visits: many exhibitions provide guided tours, educational materials or themed routes to deepen understanding of the works.
• Transport: plan travel between art cities (Venice, Milan, Turin, Parma, Bergamo), accounting for transfer times to make the most of each visit.

Why visit

The selected exhibitions span a broad range of practices — from photography and design to performance and conceptual art — offering a chance to see both historic figures and contemporary voices. May 2026 is an excellent month to build a day trip or an extended cultural itinerary across Italy.

Where

Example location: Campo de la Tana, 2169, 30122 Venice (coordinates: 45.4347479, 12.3498971). Always verify the exact address of the exhibition you plan to visit.