Museums mix it up for 2001 with some of the most exciting exhibits in years. Don't miss these 10 globe-bending blockbusters.
The world has become one big art museum: Van Gogh moves to St. Louis, William Blake arrives in New York, Egypt comes to Toledo, and bronzes and jades from South China pay a visit to Fort Worth. And few exhibitions are more than a few hours away by air. Of the dozens of shows that museums will open this year - all of them worth a visit - here are 10 representing a broad variety of styles, eras, and cultures. Look for them as you travel about the country, or the globe.

Modern Masters of Mexico: Frida Kahlo • Diego Rivera • The Gelman Collection

Next to Paris, Mexico City may have been the most interesting place for an art lover to hang out in the early 20th century. Jacques and Natasha Gelman, who were lucky enough to count Kahlo, Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente Orozco among their friends, assembled this stunning collection of paintings, sculptures, and photographs. Most notable are the portraits, including a poignant group of Kahlo self-portraits.

Dallas Museum of Art, through January 28 (214-922-1200; www.dm-art.org)
Phoenix Art Museum, March 31 - June 24 (602-257-1222; www.phxart.org)
Seattle Art Museum, October 17, 2002 - January 5, 2003 (206-654-3255; www.seattleartmuseum.org)

Manet: The Still-Life Paintings

He is probably best-known for his portraits and figure paintings, but during his lifetime, right up to his final months, Edouard Manet painted some 80 luscious still lifes of fruit and flowers. Rarely seen or shown, 37 of them have been gathered together, along with a number of watercolors, drawings, and even a few sketches in letters to friends, for this surprisingly rich little show.