Visiting the National Mosque of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur

If you’re headed to the National Mosque of Malaysia (Masjid Negara), you are in for a treat. The modern religious building is stunning in its design. Though the large compound may look subdued from the outside, upon entry expect to find a forest of columns, a tranquil reflection pond, and a prayer hall filled with light and intricate architectural details.

Brief History of the National Mosque of Malaysia

Built from 1963-1965, many of Masjid Negara’s iconic features such as the bright bluish green roof and the towering minaret resemble umbrellas. The roof looks like an open umbrella spread out to cover attendees, and the 75-foot-tall minaret calls people to prayer. 

The National Mosque was built to commemorate Malaysia’s bloodless independence from Great Britain in 1957. Originally, the Chief Ministers from all the 11 states considered naming the mosque after the country’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj. He, however, suggested the name Masjid Negara instead to symbolize the country’s unity.

The mosque’s 18-point star roof represents the 13 Malaysian states, plus the 5 pillars of Islam. The blue umbrella canopy can accommodate up to 15,000 people in the mosque. With all of those warm bodies, it would be easy for a person to overheat. The mosque’s esteemed architects designed the water features and open-air walls to keep people cool.  

Fun fact: The mosque houses the Heroes’ Mausoleum—the burial ground for several Malaysian leaders and politicians like the late prime ministers.

Entrance Fee and Open Hours

As of December 2020, the National Mosque welcomes all guests and does not charge and entrance free. However, the mosque closes to non-Muslim visitors at certain times. So make sure you double check their site before visiting. 

At the time of this writing, visiting hours were: 

What Time Should You Arrive at the National Mosque?

If you plan on borrowing a robe (to cover your clothes) then it’s important to try and go in the morning. If it’s a busy day, sometimes the robes can run out and you will have to wait for people to leave before entering.

How Long Should You Plan to Spend at the National Mosque?

If you want plenty of time to visit and take in the architecture, I would suggest planning at least 1 hours at Masjid Negara. 

What Should You Wear?

Yes, the National mosque of Kuala Lumpur has a dress code. Visitors can only access the mosque if properly dressed. This means no shorts, sleeveless shirts, or any skimpy clothing. If, however, you arrive ill-prepared (like we did), the mosque will rent you a robe to cover up.

Tip: You will also be asked to remove your shoes before entering, so make sure you are wearing some that are easy to slip on and off. 

Getting to the National Mosque of Malaysia

Getting to the National Mosque is most easily accomplished by taking a taxi. If you take a taxi, you can get dropped off right in front. Alternatively you can take the train to Pasar Seni station and then take a 6 minute walk to the mosque. Unfortunately, we got lost trying to walk from the train station. To avoid doing the same thing, take a look at this video. It provides a very helpful guide on how to walk from the Pasar Seni station to to the National Mosque.

Once you arrive at the mosque, check in with the visitor desk to borrow a purple robe if you need one. Then, remove your shoes and store them to the side of the entrance stairs. Walk up the stairs and enjoy your visit.

Can You Take Photos?

Visitors are welcome to take photos, but it never hurts to remember that this is a place of worship. Photos should be tasteful and when speaking to others in your travel group, keep conversations to a whispered tone. 

Things to See at the National Mosque

Masjid Negara is a magnificently-built mosque. From the moment you enter the mosque, serenity strikes. Be sure to embrace it! As you walk around filed with tranquility, pay special attention to decorative lattice work along the outside walls. As a Sunni mosque the shapes are geometric as opposed to creating overarching shapes. The walls allow wind to flow through the compound, to keep visitors cool.

The large prayer hall is only open to Muslims, but as a visitor you can step up to the entrance and take in the beautiful room. The details in the floor and prayer halls were designed to be reminiscent of mosques in the Middle East. Prayer hall’s bright, stained glass windows illuminate each of the folded plumes of the roof. Feel free to take photos of the rooms, but try to avoid taking photos of the people at prayer. 

In the main corridor, take note of the elegant columns. Masjid Negara’s columns feature small mosaic white tiles with a ring of gold tiles along the base. These pillars reach up to an uneven patterned ceiling above. Standing among these staggered pillars, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the beauty of this building. 

During our visit, we wandered around and took in the beauty of the architecture. And of course, we took a few of photos.

When we left, we walked to the Orchid Garden situated inside Kuala Lumpur’s famous Perdana Botanical Gardens. We had to hike up a hill, but it’s worth it. Upon arriving a taxi cab asked if we needed a ride, which was funny because we had just gotten there. But one thing you come to learn about Kuala Lumpur is that taxi drivers are serious about trying to get their fares. When we got ready to leave, that same driver approached us again about needing a ride. Again we declined. 

By the time we got to the park, we were exhausted. The South Asian heat and all the walking around the city had taken a lot out of us. The flower garden was a peaceful place to regroup and rest for a bit. We found a shaded bench where we could take in the foliage and water fountain; we settled in to just enjoy the serene park. Once we recuperated, we wandered around to view Kuala Lumpur’s National Orchid Garden containing over 120 species of orchid. 

As we headed back to the main road, a group of monkeys distracted us. So we made a brief stop to watch them. Afterward, we scaled down the hill and loaded the google maps app. As we neared the bottom of the hill, we realized it would take us almost the same amount of time to walk directly to our Airbnb as it would to walk back to the metro. So we decided to just hoof it directly back to the Airbnb, ending our excursion to the National Mosque.

Was the National Mosque Worth Seeing?

It should go without saying that I think the National Mosque is definitely worth it visiting! After enjoying the calmness of the mosque, consider stopping to enjoy the lush green vegetation at Kuala Lumpur’s Perdana Botanical Gardens, Bird Park, Deer Park, and Butterfly Garden. Then finish your day by visiting Central Market for a cultural dose of local art, food, and souvenirs.

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