It’s difficult in this town to compete with the quality and price of the Smithsonian. DC is uniquely blessed with such incredible public museums that private museums often have to compete, and while they often do it incredibly well, it’s tough to see one move from a free model to one supported by admission fees. The National Building Museum announced today that by the end of the month they will be charging an $8 fee for adults, and a $5 fee for children, students, and seniors. — welovedc.com

The Museum of Fine Arts Houston has selected three architecture firms—Morphosis, Snøhetta and Steven Holl Architects—to submit conceptual design proposals for an expanded MFAH. The project entails the construction of a building intended primarily for post-1900 art, a parking garage and the integration of surrounding MFAH buildings and public spaces. — bustler.net

Mecanoo architecten has been selected by the district government of Shenzhen to design a new cultural complex in this Southern Chinese city. The design comprises a public art museum, science museum, youth center and a mega bookstore, totaling 90,000 m². The museum complex is located between the commercial business district of Longgang and Longcheng park. — bustler.net

Brooklyn/Copenhagen-based HAO / Holm Architecture Office in collaboration with Archiland Beijing, Kragh & Berglund landscape architects, and engineering consultants Cowi Beijing, has won first prize in a competition to design the Samaranch Memorial Museum in Tianjin, China. — bustler.net

Hangzhou urban planning bureau has announced Dutch firm MVRDV winner of the international design competition for the China Comic and Animation Museum (CCAM) in Hangzhou, China. MVRDV's winning design refers to the speech balloon: a series of eight balloon shaped volumes create an internally complex museum experience of in total 30,000m2. Part of the project is also a series of parks on islands, a public plaza and a 13,000m2 expo center. — bustler.net

Steven Holl just completed construction on his much anticipated Museum of Art & Architecture in Nanjing. The museum celebrates Chinese art and architecture and is based on the Chinese theory of 'parallel perspectives' -- it explores shifting viewpoints and layers in space, while taking advantage atmospheric mists and surrounding water. Green design, recycled materials and energy-efficient geothermal heating and cooling play a large role in the museum's design. — Inhabitat

Louisville’s Speed Art Museum has unveiled plans for a new addition designed by Culver City, CA-based wHY Architecture with Reed Hilderbrand landscape architects. Located on the campus of the University of Louisville, the museum hopes to increase connections with the city and the university along with increasing gallery and educational space. — Architect's Newspaper Blog