Chinese culture authorities have launched a program to offer free admission to 500 public museums and memorials by 2009. But the program, which aims to give the public better access to high culture, has already led to some chaos.

The Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution was the first museum to open its doors for free to public in Beijing on March 1. Visitor numbers rose from a daily average of 1,200 a week ago to 12,000. The numbers increased to 24,000 the next day and even higher the day after.

Museum administrators are now facing security, facilities and safety problems because of the influx of visitors.

The Ministry of Finance announced, however, that the central government will offer funding to cover the operating expenses of museums, Xinhua reported.

The Ministry of Culture has said that "the free entry of museums and memorial halls must be guaranteed and should in no way be hampered by fund shortages," the same report said.

A government circular was issued on January 23 asking all government-sponsored museums and memorial halls to introduce free admission by 2009.

Historical sites and museums built on relic sites, such as the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City, will be exempt from this policy.