BELLINGHAM - The Whatcom Museum's Lightcatcher building will have new hours in 2013.

The new hours are for the Lightcatcher's fine art and family interactive galleries.

And while the building at 250 Flora St. will be closed on Tuesdays, the change will add evening and morning hours - as requested via a survey of 350 people, museum officials said.

Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 2, the new hours will be:

• Closed Tuesdays for the entire Lightcatcher. (This is in addition to the current Monday closure.)

• Lightcatcher's fine art galleries - Wednesdays through Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.; Thursdays open until 8 p.m.; and Saturday open at 10 a.m.

• Family Interactive Gallery (FIG) - Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

"We had lots of requests for more morning hours at the FIG and times when schoolchildren could come to the FIG, as well as evening hours," Executive Director Patricia Leach said in a news release about the reasons for the new hours.

Leach said the museum is trying to address people's requests within its budget, and while the Lightcatcher will be closed for two days it will be open slightly more overall.

Hours at the museum's other buildings - Old City Hall, 121 Prospect St., and the adjacent Syre Education Center, including the photo archives - will not change.

Reach KIE RELYEA at kie.relyea@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2234.