National Mosque (Masjid Negara), Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

4Michael 5:00 PM Jan 14, 2020

Cultural and informative
The national mosque has very impressive architecture and cultural significance. There were a number of people inside the mosque who were happy to answer any questions about the mosque or the Muslim faith which was educative and also nice to speak to people who are passionate about Malaysia and Islam. They also provide free gowns for visitors to use if you aren't appropriately dressed which was great, so you don't need to wear long clothes all day in the heat! (Shorts, short skirts, bare shoulders and tight clothing are not allowed in the mosque). They also have places to store your shoes outside the mosque. It is free to visit, but there are only certain hours during the day which are open to visitors. I believe it is open 9-12pm and 3-4pm but it would be best to check online before you go as it may differ depending on weekdays/holidays etc. The mosque is close to tourist attractions such as the butterfly park, Islamic art museum and planetarium so it's easy to visit if those places are on your itinerary too. Overall, I would recommend visiting the mosque as it is very impressive and it is a nice way to learn a bit more about Muslim culture in Malaysia.

3Olivia0716 5:00 PM Jan 29, 2023

Underwhelmed by building / pushy tour guide
This was an underwhelming experience and not a positive one either. Everyone greeted us very cordially and we’re given head-coverings upon arrival. I has the expectation that this would be a more cultural experience, learning about the history of the mosque, the Islam faith, and the architecture of the building. Boy, I was in for a treat. The tour guide that gave us the whole run down was very nice, friendly and informative, but it got to the point where he almost got TOO pushy with his way of explaining Islam to my friends and I, to the point where we felt really uncomfortable, not to mention he was just openly trashing and criticizing other faiths, which is not ok regardless of whether your practice any other religions. I respected him for exercising his faith and being passionate about it, but don’t shove it down my throat and definitely don’t try to convince me that it’s your way or the highway and everyone else is wrong. Aside from that, I thought the building in itself is nice, but nothing extraordinary that blew my mind. I could say you Can skip this and make room for other activities on your list.