BEIJING, October 24 (RIA Novosti) - China's first museum of sex education for women, enlightening visitors on human reproduction and male sexual psychology, has opened in the southern city of Guangzhou, the China Daily reported on Friday.

The exhibition, which men are barred from entering, has eight halls with more than 500 exhibits, housed in the city's Ren'ai Hospital.

Women will be shown films and pictures imparting "knowledge on pregnancy, abortions and childbirth," the newspaper said.

The museum hopes for at least 200 visitors per day. Authorities hope the experience will allow women to make more informed choices in their relationships and in family planning.

China's first sex museum opened in 1999 in central Shanghai, sparking controversy and protests. It was later moved to the outskirts of the city.

In 2000, the China Family Planning Association launched a five-year project to "promote reproductive health education among Chinese teenagers and unmarried youth", providing information on pregnancy and HIV prevention.

Widespread ignorance on sex issues have been seen as a major impediment to the Chinese government's efforts to control the population's explosive growth, and has contributed to the spread of HIV in recent years. Estimates as to the number of HIV sufferers currently range from 430,000 to 1.5 million.

China is the world's most populous country, with over 1.3 billion people, or one fifth of the global total. The country has had a one-child policy since 1979, and is expected to maintain the restriction for at least another 10 years.