Europe’s Must-see Art Exhibitions This Summer
Summer is officially here, and while we love a sun-drenched terrace or a rooftop cocktail, Europe’s creative hubs are giving us an entirely different reason to step inside. From avant-garde street photography to deep dives into the psychology of colour, the summer 2026 art calendar is nothing short of spectacular.
Whether you’re staying with us in Amsterdam, Berlin, London Battersea Power Station, London Hoxton or Rome, we’ve curated the ultimate shortlist of blockbusters, hidden gems, and boundary-pushing shows to add to your itinerary right now.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s summer art scene balances historic depth with bold, experimental perspectives. Step outside our doors and immerse yourself in three distinct visual worlds.
Second Nature by NOCKNOCK ART at art’otel Amsterdam (Until 17 September)
Focusing on the growing distance between human behaviour and the natural world and how overconsumption has become embedded in everyday life, Second Nature positions nature as a source of inspiration and an urgent call to action.
Ed van der Elsken: Up Close at the Rijksmuseum (19 June – 13 September)
From the Netherlands and around the world, celebrated Dutch photographer Ed van der Elsken chased unfiltered energy in his subjects. This exhibition takes you into his studio. Alongside his best-known photographs, you’ll see his handwritten notes, contact sheets covered in red marks, darkroom experiences and newly discovered book dummies.
Kho Liang Ie: Mid-Century Modernist at the Stedelijk Museum (14 May – 18 October)
Design lovers, rejoice. This major retrospective celebrates Kho Liang Ie, the master of sleek, functional mid-century design. Expect an incredible masterclass in minimalist form, bold color theory, and spatial texture.
Monet: Master of Impressionism at Fabrique des Lumières (Ongoing Summer)
Step directly inside the canvas. Housed in a historic former gasworks, this immersive digital experience projects Monet’s light-drenched water lilies and landscapes across 50-foot walls, with a sweeping original soundtrack to match.
Berlin
Berlin thrives on the cutting edge, and this season the city is blurring the lines between fashion, architecture, and live performance in spectacular fashion.
Many Shades of Grès: Fashion Becomes Art at the Kulturforum (15 May – 11 October)
Madame Grès treated fabric the way a sculptor treats marble, and this stunning exhibition honours her accordingly. Her iconic draped gowns are presented as pure sculptural artwork. Elegant, dramatic, and intensely visual.
Fujiko Nakaya: Fog Sculpture at the Neue Nationalgalerie (Until 25 October)
At Mies van der Rohe’s iconic glass and iron building, Nakaya transforms the sculpture garden into a living canvas of shifting mist, light, and geometry. Atmospheric in every sense of the word.
Lina Lapelytė: We Make Years Out of Hours at Hamburger Bahnhof (Ongoing)
The latest Chanel Commission sees performance artist Lina Lapelytė turn the museum’s historic hall into a massive, participatory choreographic stage. A stunning exploration of collective time, rhythm, and sound.
London
London’s galleries are going big this season, from dramatic Baroque painting to the kind of fashion and pop-culture retrospectives that sell out months in advance.
Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy (16 June – 23 August)
This annual exhibition is an absolute must-see. You’ll find art and artists of all kinds, including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, architecture, film and digital art made by members of the public, emerging artists, household names and the occasional celebrity.
Zurbarán at the National Gallery (Until 23 August)
Francisco de Zurbarán was Spain’s Baroque master of quiet intensity, famous for his hauntingly beautiful saints and candlelit still-lifes. This major summer show brings his genius into sharp, modern focus.
Tracey Emin: A Second Life at Tate Modern (Until 31 August)
A monumental survey spanning 40 years of Dame Tracey Emin’s raw, deeply intimate practice. Painting, neon, textiles, large-scale sculpture: it’s one of the most powerful contemporary shows of the year, full stop.
Wes Anderson: The Archives at the Design Museum (Until 26 July)
Step inside the pastel-hued, perfectly symmetrical mind of cinema’s most meticulous director. Over 700 original items from Anderson’s personal archive, including the candy-pink model of The Grand Budapest Hotel, original stop-motion puppets, and iconic character costumes. An absolute must.
Rome
In Rome, antiquity and the Baroque are being re-examined through a fresh lens, alongside unexpected modern masters who fit right in.
Global Baroque: The World in Rome in the Age of Bernini at the Scuderie del Quirinale (Until 13 July)
Organised with the Galleria Borghese, this exhibition features works of art by Baroque masters including Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Pietro da Cortona and Nicolas Poussin.
Jack Vettriano at Palazzo Velli (Until 5 July)
In the vibrant heart of Trastevere, this highly anticipated exhibition showcases over 80 cinematic works from the beloved Scottish painter. Love, melancholy, and mid-century elegance: Vettriano in Rome feels like it was always meant to happen.
There’s a lot worth seeing out there this season, and you’re already in the right place to make the most of it. Ask our team for recommendations, skip-the-line tips, and the best coffee stops between exhibitions.
