Imperial War Museums (IWM) has submitted a listed building and planning application to Southwark Council for the transformation of its flagship branch in Lambeth, south London. The proposals focus on the first phase of a longer term masterplan for IWM London, which has been drawn up in partnership with renowned UK-based architects, Foster + Partners. Lend Lease Construction has been confirmed as the construction management contractor on the scheme, which

The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MOCA) in Ohio, US, has announced that its new building in the Uptown district of University Circle will open on 8 October. London, UK-based Farshid Moussavi Architecture are behind the design of the new facility, which aims to provide a catalyst for "creativity and growth" in the surrounding neighbourhood. The 34,000sq ft (3,159sq m) building is 44 per cent larger than MOCA's current rented

A groundbreaking ceremony has been held to mark the start of construction work on Miami Science Museum's (MSM) new US$275m (£175.3m, EUR209.9m) home in Florida, US. The 250,000sq ft (23,226sq m) Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is due to open in 2015 and has been designed by international architectural firm, Grimshaw Architects. A major 600,000 gallon (2.3 million l) aquarium; a full-dome 3D planetarium; and hands-on exhibits are

Cork County Council (CCC) is planning to establish a "cluster" of activities and attractions as part of its vision for Spike Island, a former military and penal site in southern Ireland. A masterplan design team led by Scott Tallon Walker Architects has been appointed to draw up proposals for the site, which includes landscape strategist Mitchell and Associates. The initial phase of developing the island will be to increase the

The National Museum of Scotland (NMS) and Hepworth Wakefield have been included among 52 schemes to be recognised at this year's Civic Trust Awards (CTA) in Edinburgh. A total of 27 projects across the UK and overseas were confirmed as award winners, with a further 18 receiving commendations and seven given a community recognition accolade. Six of the award winners picked up special awards, which are designed to celebrate projects

Assael Architecture has unveiled its vision for the future of Dreamland Margate in Kent as part of a public inquiry into whether the local authority can compulsorily purchase the site. The London-based practice has worked up plans to protect and reuse a Grade II*-listed cinema and scenic railway as part of a housing scheme that aims to attract investment for the project. A cultural and amusement hub will be at

Historic Scotland has confirmed that six Scottish cities are to receive a share of GBP7.69m over the next three years as part of efforts to safeguard and enhance areas of conservation. Glasgow (GBP2.55m) and Edinburgh (GBP2.145m) have secured the largest slice of funding, with Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness and Stirling each receiving GBP750,000 from the agency. Scottish culture secretary Fiona Hyslop said: "It is vital that we continue to improve the

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, US, is planning a comprehensive revamp of the four-block-long plaza alongside its iconic Fifth Avenue facade in downtown Manhattan. New fountains are to be installed closer to the attraction's front steps to replace ones built in the 1970s as part of the scheme, with the plaza to feature tree-shaded alles. The renovation will be funded by museum trustee and philanthropist David H

Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) has revealed the opening dates for three museums that form part of the Saadiyat Cultural District in the United Arab Emirates. Located on the Saadiyat Island development in Abu Dhabi, the first attraction to launch is to be the Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2015. Zayed National Museum will follow a year later. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will be the third new museum to be unveiled

Detailed plans have been revealed for the relocation of the Design Museum in London from its current location on the south bank of the Thames to the Commonwealth Institute building in Kensington. John Pawson has redesigned the interior of the Grade II*-listed Commonwealth building while Netherlands-based OMA has planned the surrounding residential development. The move will bring the museum into Kensington's cultural quarter, where it will join the V&A, Science

Cheshire-based consulting firm Mather and Co has been appointed to draw up designs for the new National Horseracing Museum at the Palace House Site in Newmarket, Suffolk. The announcement follows a competitive tender process and has seen the group work with the attraction to develop comprehensive interpretation, design and visualisation plans. Proposals will now be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund for funding support towards the project, which will transform

Miami Science Museum (MSM) has received US$10m (£6.5m, EUR7.8m) challenge grant from the Knight Foundation towards its new building in downtown Miami, US. The funding will be used to help promote science education but will have be matched with an additional US$20m (£12.9m, EUR15.6m) in a bid to encourage further community backing. It is hoped that the Knight Foundation's contribution will engage local residents in exploring science, technology and the

The Mind Museum, the Philippines' first "world-class" science-based attraction which is being developed in Taguig, is scheduled to open its doors to the public in March 2012. Ed Calma of Lor Calma and Partners has designed the new building, with its futuristic and organic appearance inspired by cell growth and molecular structures. When complete, the total covered floorspace of the Mind Museum will span nearly 7,600sq m (81,806sq ft), with

Stanford University's board of trustees has approved plans for a US$30.5m (€23m, £20m) arts museum which will house the university's Anderson Collection. New York-based Ennead Architects have been appointed to design the 30,000sq ft building, which will be one of two new arts buildings at the institution. It will house dedicated museum spaces and a public lobby, as well as offices, a conference room, a library/study area and space for

London-based exhibition and museum designer Casson Mann has announced that it has been tasked with drawing up plans for a new flagship gallery at the National Maritime Museum (NMM), London. The group will work on one of two new permanent galleries that are planned for the attraction - Navy, Nation and Nelson 1688-1815. Exploring the history of the Royal Navy and its role during 18th century Britain, Casson Mann will

Ukrainian vice prime minister and minister of infrastructure Borys Kolesnikov has unveiled plans to develop a new "tourist city" near Yevpatoria over the next three-and-a-half years. Addressing delegates at the recent Inside Ukraine conference, Kolesnikov said the project is part of a national programme to transform the Crimean peninsula into a visitor destination. It is expected the development will be built from scratch and will offer hotel accommodation and opportunities

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) in California, US, has revealed detailed designs for its proposed expansion project, the scope of which has now been increased. The attraction has revealed that it has raised its fundraising goal by 15 per cent to US$555m (£354m, EUR411m) to help create more spaces for education, exhibitions and collections. Building on concept designs unveiled in May, new detailed proposals comprise ground-level galleries and

National Galleries Scotland (NGS) has reopened the Scottish National Portrait Gallery after completing work on an extensive £17.6m refurbishment of Edinburgh attraction. The gallery was initially designed by architect Sir Robert Rowand Anderson and was one of the first purpose-built portrait galleries in the world when it opened in 1889. Work has now been carried out by BAM Construction in a two-year scheme to provide new education facilities, including a

Casson Mann has been selected as exhibition designers for the Natural History Museum's new Treasures gallery, which forms part of a wider redevelopment at the London attraction. The gallery will be located at the top of the North Staircase and will open in 2012 in the first phase of the Central Hall scheme, displaying some of the museum's "greatest treasures". Casson Mann will be tasked with creating a space that

Oxford's Ashmolean Museum is to open six new galleries for its Ancient Egypt and Nubia collections tomorrow (26 November), following £5m development project. Designed by Rick Mather Architects, the new facilities have been built by the Oxford-based contractor, Beard, and will present the attraction's collections under six broad themes. The themes are: Egypt at its Origins; Dynastic Egypt and Nubia; Life after Death in Ancient Egypt; the Armarna 'Revolution; Egypt

Plans have been revealed for a renovation of the 120,000sq ft (11,148sq m) west exhibition wing at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington DC, US. The attraction's centre core and east wing will remain open during the transformation, with proposals including the creation of new galleries, an education centre and interior plazas. Performance spaces and upgraded infrastructure are also planned as part of the overhaul, in addition

Imperial War Museum (IWM) London is to to create new galleries for its First World War collections as part of its plans to commemorate the centenary of the conflict in 2014. The new spaces are due to open in summer 2014 and will improve access to the attraction's extensive collections, allowing more personal artefacts, films and images to go on display. Foster + Partners and exhibition designer Casson Mann are

The Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) has officially unveiled its new 163,000sq ft (15,143sq m) home at the Rio Tinto Center in Salt Lake City, US, today (18 November). Ennead Architects, GSBS Architects and Design Workshop worked on the design of the Rio Tinto Center, which has been built by Big-D Construction over the last three years. The facility boasts around 51,000sq ft (4,738sq m) of permanent exhibition space,

A new visitor centre, which has been designed by Toronto-based architects Reich and Petch, has opened in Ontario, Canada, as part of a wider project to celebrate the War of 1812. St Lawrence Parks Commission chose the design firm to draw up plans for the new facility, which is located at the Upper Canada Discovery Centre in Morrisburg. It is one of six sites that Reich and Petch has been

Funding for the construction of the new Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton has now been secured after the Government of Canada agreed to contribute towards the project. The federal government committed CA$122.5m (£75.9m, EUR88.6m, US$119.8m) towards the project, with the majority to come through the Building Canada Fund (BCF). A new museum to be located in downtown Edmonton is at the heart of the scheme, which will provide double the

Jordan's Wadi Rum Resort and China's Zhang Da Qian Museum have been named among the second batch of winners at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards 2011. The second day of the three-day event saw four completed buildings and nine future projects pick up awards, which also included the Glacier Discovery Walk in Canada. Wadi Rum Resort, which has been designed US-based Oppenheim Architecture and Design, was named as the

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, US, is to officially open a new-look suite of 15 galleries that houses its collection of Islamic art from around the world on 1 November. Work has been carried out to enlarge and redesign the New Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia, which span 13 centuries. More than 12,000 works of art