10 Petrosains Activities For Toddlers & Kids (Local Mama’s Guide)

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Wondering what fun Petrosains activities you and your kids can get up to at this science museum in KL?

Here’s my quick-sheet of the best activities in Petrosains:

  • Energy Capsule dark ride
  • SPARKZ play stations
  • Oil platform
  • F1 racing simulator
  • Dinosaur exhibit
  • The chatty robot in Tech Lab
  • The Space section
  • 3D theater
  • The super-tall slide
  • Coconut ice cream break

As a lifelong KLite, I’ve been coming to Petrosains even before I had my daughter. It’s a fun playful space – my inner child at the time was greatly entertained haha.

There’s a good mix of activities making it a fun visit for both toddlers and older kids. There are plenty of knobs and buttons for the younger ones to enjoy interacting with (plus there’s a soft play area too) and the big kids will love learning about cool scientific concepts.

Ready to explore Petrosains? Let’s get into it!

Visitors walk past a suspended F1 car exhibit, one of the most popular Petrosains activities.

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1. Go On The Energy Capsule Ride

The Energy Capsule is a fun way to kickstart your Petrosains trip! Hop aboard and you’ll be taken through the evolution of energy, from the good ol’ caveman days to the tech-backed things we enjoy today.

It’s pretty cool to see the dancing lights as you go through the ride, especially for kids.

The dark ride might make younger toddlers a little nervous. Talking them through what to expect might help.

Here’s what the full ride looks like:

A toddler tries one of the science play activities in Petrosains.

2. Enjoy Silly Family Fun At SPARKZ

There are plenty of play-based stations in this area that are suitable for a wide age range – adults included! As always, my husband and I are the ones who get overly excited.

There’s a cool spray paint section where you can make virtual art – my daughter spent ages filling up the screen with splatters of digital paint!

There’s the earthquake simulator that got us giggling seeing my husband trying not to get thrown off the shaking bench.

There are projected screens you can interact with. There’s one game where you direct marbles into a bucket and it’s such a soothing thing to do.

For toddlers, there’s also a soft indoor playground in this area. It has a basic climber and slide, and a whole lot of foam blocks to play with. It’s nothing fancy, but that doesn’t stop little ones from having a blast here.

The oil platform section at Petrosains, a science museum in Malaysia.

3. Explore An Oil Rig

For context, Petrosains is a project by Petronas, Malaysia’s oil and gas corporation. If you’re wondering why there’s a giant oil platform smack in the middle of Petrosains, that’s why. Think of Petrosains as the Petronas museum.

In this section, you’ll discover Petronas’ line of business a little more through the multi-story structure that kids are welcome to climb and explore.

There’s also a cool contraption in this section where kids have to work together to make all the different parts work. Even as an adult, it’s fun to get all up in there and start scooping the little seeds and watch them get ferried to all the other sections.

A popular kids' activity at Petrosains.
The F1 racing simulator at Petrosains, a science museum in Malaysia.

4. Become A Formula 1 Racer 

Petrosains’ Speed section focuses on F1, and the biggest highlight here is the F1 racing simulator. Only 2 race spots are available at a time, and there’s always a line here.

Younger kids are not allowed for this activity, but if it’s not busy you might be able to snap some photos of your tiny racer in the pod.

Visitors checking out a dinosaur diorama, a popular kids' activity at Petrosains.

5. Meet The Dinosaurs

Head to the Geotime Diorama to see the impressive dinosaur exhibits. The whole area is pretty immersive, with animatronic dinos in a prehistoric jungle setting. There’s a suspended bridge for you to get a closer look at the dinosaurs below.

My daughter was ecstatic to spot a Maiasaura – her namesake lol. The animatronic movements are pretty darn cool.

A visitor checks out a robot at the Tech Lab section in Petrosains.

6. Talk To A Robot

In the Tech Lab section, there’s a chatty robot waiting to hear from you. Kids can pick pre-programmed conversation prompts – some of them are pretty cheeky and will get little ones howling!

7. Control A Space Rover

The Space section is super engaging! There are activity stations and videos highlighting astronaut life, but I think the coolest thing to do here is to complete a rover’s mission.

It takes a little patience to input the movement command and see the rover obediently comply, but when you complete the mission it’s so satisfying!

8. Watch A 3D Show

There’s a 3D theater where you can catch a quick show. Grab 3D glasses for the whole family and plonk yourselves in the center of the theater for the best seats in the house.

It’s a popular activity and it’s a small theater – I think it fits maybe about 50 people at a time? There’s usually a line, so expect to queue for a little while to catch the 3D show.

A tall slide at Petrosains KL.

9. Go On The Slide

As you’re coming out from the Speed section, you’ll notice bright yellow steps leading up to a super tall slide. It’s a must-do for older kids – grab the slide sack and zoom all the way down.

There’s a height requirement – toddlers are not allowed on this slide. 

10. Cool Down With Coconut Ice Cream

For a much-needed break between all those activities in Petrosains, head to the cafe to sample creamy coconut ice cream by the popular local brand Sangkaya.

You’ll also be able to get a decent variety of hot and cold drinks as well as snacks at the cafe.

Petrosains Map

Here’s a little walkthrough of each section:

  • Energy Capsule: The dark ride is right at the entrance. The general admission doesn’t include this ride – let them know at the counter if you want to add this on.
  • SPARKZ: Fun play stations based on scientific concepts. 
  • Oil Platform: A huge oil rig section that highlights life offshore. The multi-story platform makes a fun alternative to the usual indoor playgrounds in KL. 
  • Speed!: Petronas is known for its links to Formula 1, and this section has all the fun F1 stuff including the racing simulator.
  • Cafe Mesra: If you need to grab light snacks for the kids, head to the cafe. If you need a proper meal, it’s best to head to family-friendly restaurants in KLCC after your Petrosains visit.
  • Molecule Nano World: This section starts when you go up the cool-looking spiral staircase and discusses all things chemistry.
  • Sustainability Gallery: I mean, it’s not easy to look past the irony that an oil company has a section discussing sustainable efforts but there it is.
  • 3D Theater: It’s a fun spot to catch a 3D show!
  • Tech Lab: All the robotic exhibits are here. There’s the robot that you can have a prompted conversation with, and other smaller robot activities to try.
  • Space: Go through the planet cut-through and you’ll be met with robust discussions on space exploration. The rover is a cool activity. The videos showing everyday astronaut life are cool too.
  • Geotime Diorama: Here’s where you’ll see all the dinosaurs.
  • Science Station: There’s another section of fun science-y stations before you head out of Petrosains. 
  • Xplorasi Petrosains: You can get toys, kids’ activities, Petronas merchandise, and Malaysian souvenirs at the gift shop.

Family-Friendly Facilities at Petrosains

  • Baby Care & Nursing Room: There’s one near Molecule Nano World and another one near Geotime Diorama.
  • Break Areas: There are comfy resting areas along the exhibition spaces. The one near the 3D Theater has a nifty coloring station too to keep the kids engaged.
  • Prayer Room: For Muslim families, there’s a surau near the Speed section.

Petrosains KLCC Visitor Info

Petrosains Opening Hours

  • 9.30AM – 5.30PM (last admission at 4PM) on weekdays.
  • 9.30AM – 6.30PM (last admission at 5PM) on weekends, public holidays, and school holidays.
  • Closed on the following dates in 2024: April 1 & 15, May 6 & 20, July 1 & 15, August 5 & 19, September 2, October 7 & 21, November 4 & 18, December 2 & 16.

How Much Time Do You Need In Petrosains?

Set aside 3 to 4 hours to comfortably explore Petrosains with your kiddos.

Here’s a rough breakdown of how much time we spent here (queueing time included):

  • Going through the exhibits: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Playing in the soft play area: 20 minutes
  • F1 racing simulator: 20 minutes
  • Watching 3D theater: 20 minutes
  • Toilet stops, snack breaks, and rest: 45 minutes

How To Get To Petrosains

Petrosains is located on Level 4 of the Suria KLCC Mall. 

To get here, you can:

  • Take the City Route on the KL Hop On Hop Off bus. There’s a direct stop at Suria KLCC.
  • Take the LRT to KLCC station.
  • Drive. You can park at the basement parking of Suria KLCC.
  • Take a Grab (local e-hailing service).

Petrosains Entrance Fees

For MalaysiansFor Expats & Tourists
MyKad Holder MyKid Holder(3 – 12 years)Adult General Admission Child General Admission (3 – 12 years)
Weekdays$22 MYR($5 USD)$10 MYR($2.50 USD)$35 MYR($8 USD)$20 MYR($4.50 USD)
Weekends, Public Holidays & School Holidays$25 MYR($6 USD)$12 MYR($3 USD)$40 MYR($9 USD)$25 MYR($6 USD)

Heads up: The converted USD rates might fluctuate depending on when you’re reading this.

The entrance fees are pretty reasonable, but if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative that’s just as fun, check out the National Science Center.

💡Prefer extra budget-friendly outings? Here’s my full list of the best free things to do in KL with kids.

KLCC Hotel Recommendations 

The city center of Kuala Lumpur has plenty of fun attractions for kids, like Aquaria KLCC and KLCC Park. You’ll probably want to check all these places out with your kids, and it makes a lot of sense to book a stay at a hotel near Petronas Twin Towers. 

These are my family’s favorite ones in the area:

If I had to pick one, I’d go for Grand Hyatt.

✓ It’s a short 5-minute walk from the hotel to the Suria KLCC Mall where Petrosains is.

✓ Their rooms are spacious and comfy. I recommend getting a room with the Twin Towers view – it’s crazy gorgeous and it’s such a fun view for the kids.

✓ Sometimes they do themed rooms too!

✓ The circular pool is pretty fun for little ones.

Petrosains Review: Is It Worth Visiting?

Based on all the fun Petrosains KLCC kid activities you can enjoy at this attraction, I think it’s worth a visit with the family.

I like that scientific concepts are highlighted in playful ways. There are plenty of opportunities for kids to interact with the exhibits, and I appreciate that they cater to both younger toddlers and older kids.

Prepare for your Petrosains trip with my kid-friendly guide to KLCC. I’ve shortlisted all the best kids’ activities in the area, and included info on restaurants with kids’ menus as well as where to find the nursing and nappy changing rooms.

KLCC for Kids: Full Guide on Activities, Facilities & Food (2024)

Have a blast with the little ones! 

More ideas to Explore Kuala Lumpur with Kids:

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