The National Planetarium in Kuala Lumpur heralded a new age in space technology in Malaysia with its inauguration in 1994. Beautifully crafted to imitate a Muslim mosque, this blue dome shaped building offers an interesting educational and fun filled visit for children and will spark their interest in science and technology of the new space age. Situated at the top of the hill at Lake Gardens, Jalan Perdana in Kuala Lumpur, the planetarium is easily accessible and can be included into your walk of exploring the Lake Gardens. It is also connected to the National Museum of Malaysia by an overhead bridge and you can cover them both on the same day.
There are a few highlights to keep children fascinated throughout the visit. One of the engines used to launch Malaysia’s first satellite MEASAT 1 the Arianne IV space engine, a 14 inch telescope in the observatory, a mock-up of the sleeping and toilet arrangements of the International Space Station, the space suit of the first Malaysian astronaut complete with ready-made meals of Malaysian delicacies and replicas of ancient Indian and Chinese observatories are some of the more interesting exhibits at the planetarium.
Relax on a reclining chair and lose yourself among the stars and planets in a deep blue sky above. The omnimax-style films projected on to the roof of the dome giving a splendid panoramic view make it a nice relaxing end to the visit. There are five different films screened every hour namely the Dawn of the Space Age, Fly Me to the Moon, Passport to the Universe, Solar Storm and Furusato: World Heritage Viewed from Space, a large-format film which is also more expensive than the others. They are played between the hours of 9.30 am to 4.30 pm every day except Monday when the planetarium is closed.
Stay at a Kuala Lumpur service apartment for the perfect stay. A serviced apartment in Kuala Lumpur such as Marc Service Suites Kuala Lumpur is an ideal substitute to a hotel. It offers excellent services and its location is within convenient distance of the city’s business and entertainment areas making it ideal for both business and leisure travellers.
Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+
