INDIANAPOLIS — People wanting to visit the Indiana State Museum will have some extra time starting in March.

The Indiana State Museum announced that it will stay open late on Thursdays beginning March 2. The museum will remain open until 8, an addition of three hours to its weekly operating schedule.

“This is a new opportunity for people to visit the museum during a time when it has traditionally not been accessible,” said Eric Todd, vice president of operations for the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. “This should give working people who may be busy on the weekends the opportunity to visit when it fits into their schedules.”

During the first few months of the new schedule, the museum will assess the audience during the expanded hours. It then plans on introducing additional programming for the summer. This may include game nights, college nights and events based around the museum’s special exhibits.

The museum’s regular hours are now 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays. Admission is $17 for adults, $16 for seniors, $12 for children and $5 for current college students with an Indiana school ID. Admission is discounted $2 after 3 p.m. on all days.