The top five exhibitions of 2025 (and the worst)

In the UK, museum developments, rather than consistently excellent exhibitions, dominated the art scene this year. Londons Olympic Park became home to the V&As ambitious Storehouse, a working museum storage space open to the public. Despite its innovative concept, the industrial warehouse-like atmosphere left many visitors underwhelmed. Meanwhile, the National Gallery fully reopened after a partial two-year closure, featuring a sleek new entrance and refreshed presentation of its permanent collection. Plans for a new wing dedicated to modern and contemporary art, backed by a 375 million fund, signal a bold shift in strategy. Tate Moderns 25th anniversary, however, was marked by a lackluster exhibition schedule, raising eyebrows among art insiders.

Several of 2025s most impressive exhibitions took place abroad, including major retrospectives of Caravaggio in Rome, Fra Angelico in Florence, and Gerhard Richter in Paris. Yet the UK hosted some standout shows worth noting. Here are five of the years highlights:

5. Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh

This retrospective celebrated the British land artists six decades of work. Site-specific installations crafted from natural materials like sticks and stones were complemented by photographs of his temporary landscape interventions. Goldsworthys exhibition, beginning with a striking barbed-wire barrier at the entrance, showcased the artists toughness and complexity, defying notions of his work as merely decorative.

4. Wayne Thiebaud: American Still Life Courtauld Gallery, London

The Courtauld Gallery presented the first UK museum exhibition of Wayne Thiebaud, highlighting 21 paintings and several works on paper. Thiebauds 1960s depictions of cakes, snacks, and pinball machines revitalized the still-life tradition while offering a critique of consumer culture. The show runs until January 18, 2026.

3. David Hockney 25 Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris

Focusing on the artists 21st-century output, this massive retrospective attracted over 900,000 visitors. The exhibition revealed the emotional depth and visionary qualities of Hockneys work, challenging perceptions of him as a lightweight. Springtime motifs filled the expansive Louis Vuitton Foundation space, offering both spectacle and insight.

2. Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300-1350 National Gallery, London

Celebrating the golden age of Sienese art, this exhibition brought the treasures of medieval Tuscany to London. Paintings by Duccio, Simone Martini, and their contemporaries were illuminated in dramatic gallery settings, alongside contemporary sculptures, textiles, and metalwork. The show highlighted craftsmanship, narrative skill, and a novel attention to the emotional expression of sacred figures.

1. Kerry James Marshall: The Histories Royal Academy of Arts, London

Marking the 70th birthday of Kerry James Marshall, this retrospective emphasized his role in introducing Black subjects into the Western painting tradition. Marshalls intricate, bold, and often profound works provide visual richness alongside thematic depth, tackling subjects from everyday life to historical trauma. The exhibition runs until January 18, 2026.

The Disappointment

Hyundai Commission: Mret nne Sara Tate Modern

The Turbine Hall installation by Smi-Norwegian artist Mret nne Sara, intended to highlight indigenous issues and ecological justice, fell flat. The centerpiece included a 92-foot totem pole made of reindeer hides and a wooden maze, but critics found it visually uninspired and overly driven by social messaging, rather than artistic innovation. The installation will be on view until April 6, 2026.

Author: Lucas Grant