For more than 20 years the Michigan Iron Industry Museum has educated visitors about the importance the Marquette Iron Range has played in the history of the region and beyond, and it just keeps getting better at doing so. On the heels of opening a new access road and enlarged parking lot in mid-October comes news that the facility will be open year-round, rather than close at the end of October until the following spring as it has for years. Starting this week, the museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on the first Saturday of each month. Opened in 1987 in Negaunee Township, the museum overlooks the site of the Carp River Forge, regarded as the birthplace of Michigan’s iron industry. The museum includes displays covering all aspects of the iron industry in the region, as well as offering a variety of special historical-themed events like the annual Civil War encampment and antique car show.