Three museums in Bristol will now be able to keep their doors open all year round thanks to the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council’s (MLA) regional museum redevelopment plan.

Balise Castle House Museum, The Georgian House and the Red Lodge – which until this year have been open to visitors only during the summer months – will now be open five days a week throughout the year, from Saturday to Wednesday between 10am and 5pm.

Victoria Pirie, deputy head of Bristol Museums & Art Gallery, said: “The extension of opening hours is part of our commitment to extending access to the city’s museums.

“Last year we were able to restore year-round opening at Bristol’s Industrial Museum and thousands of extra visitors came along to the exhibits. Now, under the additional government funding to Bristol Museums we are able to extend this policy to the other sites.”

In October, the government announced plans to spend £70m over four years to support regional museums.