Planning to visit the National Science Center Malaysia with your little ones? Great idea!
I’m a toddler mama living in KL and I find this to be one of the best attractions in the cities for families.
⭐ National Science Center Highlights ⭐
- Interactive exhibits
- Daily science shows
- Indoor playground
- Dedicated play area for kids under 4
- Outdoor water park (no, really!)
- Dinosaur park
The entrance fee is cheap too and free parking is provided.
That being said, it’s not easily accessible by public transport. Also, I do have some gripes about their exhibits, but I’ll leave the rant for later.
Okay, let’s get this review started!
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National Science Center Kuala Lumpur: My Honest Review
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
The value you get from the minimal entrance fee is just unbelievable. It’s a HUGE space with indoor and outdoor activities, so you can easily spend the whole day here just to experience everything the museum has to offer.
It’s not as flashy as Petrosains KLCC but the fact that it has a good mix of indoor and outdoor activities for such a reasonable price makes the science museum a must-visit.
5 Things I Like About The National Science Center
1. The old-school mechanical feel of the interactive exhibits. They make it super fun for little kids to fiddle around with gears, knobs, buttons, and more.
2. The scientific topics covered. There are great exhibits on the human body, photosynthesis, musical concepts, energy, and more.
3. The toddler play areas. There’s a quiet play area with some pretty cool magnet boards, a multi-level indoor playground, and an outdoor waterpark.
4. Both the indoor and outdoor attractions are accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.
5. It costs $6 MYR ($2 USD) per adult. Kids under 7 enter for free!
What I Didn’t Really Like About The National Science Center
- A lot of the exhibits are way too high for kids’ eye levels. I had to carry my daughter for her to be able to properly interact with the exhibits. Having more stepstools around would have been helpful.
- It’s not easy to get here by public transport. Semantan is the closest MRT Station. From there, you can take a 5-min(ish) Grab ride to the museum.
Best Kids’ Attractions At The National Science Center
Freshwater Fish Tunnel
This Aquaria-ish tunnel makes for an IG-ready entrance to the exhibits. It’s so calming to see patin, tilapia, and all the other freshwater fishies swimming about overhead.
Wonderspark Gallery
This interactive space has plenty of play-based stations highlighting the concepts of wind, light, and water.
We spent a good 15 minutes just at this wind maze exhibit. My daughter loved seeing how opening the maze exit doors manipulated the direction that the balls traveled in.
There’s a hurricane simulator that I was too chicken to go into because I was having a good hijab day and didn’t want to take any chances.
Science Valley
This section has a fun mix of exhibits! It starts with an environmental feature, which then leads to all things humans and plants.
I like the exhibits on the human body. It’s a topic I’m sharing a lot about in our homeschool and it’s pretty cool to be able to see visual exhibits on the heart, brain, and even what goes on in a pregnancy.
The section on plants has a great exhibit on photosynthesis, which requires a bit of cooperative work to share with kids the importance of sunlight, water, and fresh air.
Kidz’ World
The play area for kids under 4 is actually quite interesting! There are activity boards for kids to play with (and there are cute reminders on the walls for parents to join in the fun!).
The music area totally brought out my inner kid. I mean, who can resist a light-up floor piano? And the stringless harp is too cool!
This crane toy has a mechanism that’s simple but so fun. Luckily we went on a weekday and there were barely any visitors, so my daughter spent almost 20 minutes just on this ride alone lol.
And then there’s this indoor playground! Sure, it’s way smaller than most indoor playgrounds you’ll find in KL but judging from the giggling kids climbing around and sliding down, I don’t think they minded one bit.
Science Stage
There’s a daily science show that takes place at the center stage. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s still pretty darn entertaining for little ones. The science guy presented in English and Malay so it’s easy for everyone to understand the concepts he was explaining.
Water Plaza
Head outdoors to the water park! It’s a 5-minute walk down from the main museum area. Bring along your kids’ wetsuits if you’re planning to spend some time at this playground-in-a-pool.
I noticed bathrooms were provided near the pool. We’ve yet to try this attraction so I haven’t had a chance to see if the bathrooms are decent.
PS. Instead of walking the path down to the water park, kids can also hop and slide their way down through the playful pathway. So fun right?
Prehistoric Park
There’s a small collection of dinosaur figures near the main entrance of the museum. It’s right by the busy highway though so be extra careful to keep your kids safe.
It’s not all that exciting but it’s the only section they have left on dinosaurs. They used to have a cool exhibition indoors with animatronic dinosaurs but it’s closed now. 🙁 If your kids are specifically looking to see dinosaurs, I think the dinosaur section in Petrosains is way better.
Facilities
- Toilets
- Cafeteria
- Surau (prayer room)
- Plenty of seating areas
National Science Center Malaysia Entrance Fees
| Visitor | National Science Center Malaysia Ticket Price |
| Adult (13 – 54 years old) | $6 MYR ($2 USD) |
| Child (7 – 12 years old) | $3 MYR ($0.70 USD) |
| Senior citizen (55+ years old) | $3 MYR ($0.70 USD) |
You can get the Science Museum Malaysia tickets online or walk in to get them at the counter.
National Science Center Malaysia Opening Hours
- 9AM – 5PM (Saturday – Thursday)
- Closed on Friday
How much time should you set aside to visit the science museum?
- 3 – 4 hours if you’re planning to check out indoor attractions only
- 5 – 6 hours if you’re planning to check out both indoor and outdoor attractions
How To Get Here
Location: Persiaran Bukit Kiara, Bukit Damansara (about a 15-min drive from KLCC)
- Driving is the best way to get here. There are free parking bays provided for visitors.
- Alternatively, use Grab (the Malaysian version of Uber).
- If you’re taking public transport, head to the Semantan MRT. Grab to the museum.
National Science Center Malaysia: Final Tips
For the best time on your National Science Center Malaysia trip, dress in light, breathable clothes and have on some good comfy shoes. There’ll be LOTS of walking!
Remember to pack wetsuits, slippers, towels, and toiletries if you’re planning to take the kids to the water park.
If there’s something specific you want to know about the museum, drop me a comment below.
For more budget-friendly outing ideas, check out my full list of free things to do in KL with kids!
More Ways to Explore Kuala Lumpur with Kids:
- Super Fun Kuala Lumpur 3-Day Itinerary For Families (Google Map Included)
- 10 Best Petrosains Activities for Toddlers & Big Kids
- Aquaria KLCC Review: 5 Things I Like (And Some Things I Don’t)
- 20 Best Indoor Playgrounds in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor
- KLCC for Kids: Mama’s Guide on Attractions, Food & Facilities
- Kuala Lumpur With Toddler: Ultimate Activity Guide (+Kid-Friendly Cafes & Hotels)
- 3 Fun (& Free!) Kids’ Activities At KL’s Islamic Arts Museum
- 27 Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants In KL With Play Areas & Kids’ Menus
- Did You Know Kidzoona Indoor Playground Has A WFH Area For Parents?
