◆ Colombo 07 · Western Province · Sri Lanka
The island's first and only planetarium - a lotus-domed landmark in Colombo where a digital sky unfolds across a 23-metre dome. Open to the public since 1965.
About the planetarium
The Sri Lanka Planetarium is the first and only planetarium in the country, set in Colombo 07 on Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha, beside the University of Colombo in the leafy Cinnamon Gardens district. It was inaugurated on 1 February 1965 and has been drawing students, families and curious stargazers ever since.
Inside the lotus-shaped dome, a digital full-dome projector paints the night sky across a 23-metre ceiling - the whole universe over your head.
The planetarium puts on educational astronomical shows for the public and for school and institute groups - journeys through the planets, the Sun, the solar system and the constellations. The main auditorium seats 570 (older accounts list around 500), and the venue is run as an institute under the Ministry of Science, Technology & Research.
History of the planetarium
The planetarium was built by the State Engineering Corporation as a special feature of the Ceylon Industrial Exhibition of 1965, and declared open to the public on 1 February 1965. It was designed by the pioneering engineer Dr A. N. S. Kulasinghe (1919–2006) in the form of a lotus in full bloom.
Its silhouette borrows from two famous buildings a world apart - Frederick Gibberd's Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and Oscar Niemeyer's Cathedral of Brasília.
The building was funded by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) as a gift, and its star projector is a Carl Zeiss universal instrument from East Germany. Engineered with a reinforced-concrete floor and a pre-stressed folded-plate roof cast on site, it rises about 21.33 m high and 37.8 m across.
After decades of service the planetarium was refurbished in 2014 at a cost of around Rs 200 million and reopened on 9 December 2014 with 570 seats and a modern digital, full-dome 4D projection system beneath the 23-metre dome.
What to do here
It's a compact visit built around one unforgettable experience - sitting back as the dome fills with stars. Plan roughly 1.5 to 2 hours if you're catching a show.
The main event: a reclining seat beneath the 23-metre dome while the digital projector sweeps across planets, stars and deep space.
Science exhibits, models of spacecraft and space-mission displays fill the lobby - a good warm-up before the show begins.
Step back to take in the lotus-shaped dome itself - one of Colombo's most distinctive pieces of post-independence design.
Shows explain the solar system, constellations and how the sky moves - especially rewarding for children and students.
The exterior and its gardens make a striking photo subject in good light (photography is generally not allowed during shows).
An affordable, air-conditioned, all-ages outing - though very young infants may find the dark show room unsettling.
A note for families: the show room is kept dark and quiet, so a restless infant may need to step out. Otherwise it's a relaxed, educational stop for children and adults alike.
Shows & show times
Shows run at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, last about 90 minutes, and are presented in Sinhala, English or Tamil. Tuesday to Friday are reserved for school and institute groups; Saturdays are for the general public. Aim to arrive at least half an hour early.
How our solar system formed - from a cloud of gas and cosmic dust to the worlds we know today.
The discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope, from nearby planets to the most distant galaxies.
The adventure of space travel - from Sputnik and the Moon landings to the space station and beyond.
A tour of the stars, planets and constellations as they wheel across the dome above Sri Lanka.
Programmes rotate and special presentations are added through the year, so the exact show on your date can vary - check the current schedule on planetarium.gov.lk or by phone before you set out.
Open days & times
The planetarium is open Tuesday to Saturday and closed on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays.
Plan around these
Hours and the show calendar can change, especially around holidays or maintenance - it's worth a quick call to confirm before travelling.
Entrance ticket price
Entry is famously affordable. The figures below are the long-listed prices; fees are low but have been revised over the years, so treat them as a guide.
Prices vary by source and change over time - some recent visitors report an adult ticket nearer LKR 250. Please confirm the current fee at the ticket counter or on the official site rather than relying on a fixed figure here.
How to book tickets
There's currently no online ticketing - how you book depends on whether you're a general visitor or a school / institute group.
Individuals & families
Group bookings (Tue–Fri)
Call the planetarium to check show times and seat availability before you go.
Latest update
The planetarium's last major upgrade was its 2014 refurbishment, which brought the digital full-dome system and 570 seats. More recently, further renovation and modernization works were reported as approved around 2025, aimed at maintaining the ageing structure while preserving its iconic lotus design.
This summary was gathered from public sources and last reviewed in early 2026 - it is not a live status feed, so a quick call or visit to the official site is the surest way to confirm before travelling.
Getting there & contact
It sits in Colombo 07, on Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha beside the University of Colombo - an easy tuk-tuk or short bus ride from central Colombo.
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The Sri Lanka Planetarium in Colombo 07.
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A closer look at the Sri Lanka Planetarium.
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