Operators of China's public libraries, art museums and culture centers, at a grassroots level, will get financial support from central and local governments in their latest efforts to offer free and better services to the public.

The central government will provide at least 1.8 billion yuan ($274 million) in 2011 "to help public libraries, art museums and culture centers, particularly those in underdeveloped West China to upgrade their facilities, train personnel and create more services for the general public", said Wang Jiaxin, deputy chief of the Education, Science and Culture Division of the Financial Ministry, on Feb 18, in Beijing.

In 2011, each public library or culture center at the provincial level will receive 500,000 yuan a year ($76,000) in subsidies, while public libraries or culture centers at the county level will receive a 200,000 yuan annual subsidy, and culture centers at township or village levels will get a subsidy of 50,000 yuan a year, Wang said.

In early February, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Finance issued a joint statement, stipulating that Chinese citizens will not have to pay to enter the country's public art galleries two years from now.

According to the statement, public museums and libraries at State and provincial levels will cease charging entrance fees by the end of 2011.

The changes come after China started to provide free access to museums and memorial halls in 2008.

The central government also plans to provide special subsidies to art galleries and libraries in the less-developed regions of central and western China.

The free admission policy "marks the beginning of reforms in the nations' public arts and culture services", said Yu Qun, social culture division chief of the Ministry of Culture.

A draft of China's first Law on Public Libraries is being formulated by legal and cultural experts, and will be submitted to the National People's Congress for approval as soon as possible, Yu said.

The National Library has been offering free services since late 2007, library deputy president Chen Li said.

"The free admission policy has, so far, proven to be a success," Chen added.

Compared with 2008, 2010 saw a 62.5 percent increase in attendance, with 5.32 million visitors, Chen said.

The library is also gearing up to offer digital services and establish provincial branches for readers, teaming up with telecoms, mobile communication and cable TV operators, he said.

The National Art Museum, the nation's top art museum, is expected to offer free admission in May or June to all visitors, museum dean Fan Di'an said.

The museum receives between 900,000 and 1 million visitors per year and it is anticipated that with the new policy annual attendance may jump to at least 1.6 million.