Google is inviting users to experiment with new ways of using its search engine.

The company announced three "experimental search" modes on Monday which change the way the engine returns results.

The first is a map view option. Location information is normally displayed only if the web page contains its own Google Maps information.

But the new feature gathers address information from the page and creates a map displaying the locations of various search results.

The second option groups results on a timeline based on dates contained in the results. The feature is designed for searches on historical figures or events.

The third option, dubbed Info View, looks similar to the normal search results page, but includes a small box on the right with dates, measurements and images from the results.

Users can try the new features at Google Labs.