National Planetarium temporarily closes for decommissioning of iconic building

The National Planetarium is temporarily closing its doors as the old building will be decommissioned to give way to development plans of the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC). 

The National Museum of the Philippines announced the news on Facebook, Monday, expressing "sadness, fondness and nostalgia – but also with anticipation and excitement" for the future of the planetarium.

The building, which is located in Rizal Park in Manila, was inaugurated in 1975.

"There are times in the life of a beloved institution where a long chapter has to be brought to a close in order to start a new one, for a new contemporary world and a new set of generations of Filipinos," the statement read.

"We are sad to retire the old building, which has in its own way been a landmark in Manila and a pillar of the National Museum of the Philippines as a whole, but we are excited and motivated to work to deliver a new facility that will breathe new life into the National Planetarium as a beloved institution."

According to the statement, the NPDC has plans for the central and western sections of Rizal Park while the National Museum of the Philippines has taken over the eastern section for the development of the National Museum Complex.

The plans are currently in the development stage, but the national museum said the new home of the planetarium will be "designed to serve the public well for many more decades to come with the unique experience that only a world-class planetarium can provide."

—MGP, GMA News