It is a blue-domed structure that is situated on top of a hill in the Lake Gardens at Jalan Perdana, Kuala Lumpur.

The construction of the National Planetarium complex, then only known as the National Space and Science Education Centre,[1] began in 1990 and was completed in 1993, costing RM 24 million with the Japanese government donating RM 5 million to the total construction cost.

[1] A soft launch to the public began in May 1993 and it was officially opened by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, on 7 February 1994.

[2] In July 1995, the Division was transferred to the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment, which is also the owner of this planetarium until now.

The National Planetarium extends to a space theme park where replicas of ancient observatories are sited.