Resembling a massive intergalactic spaceship, the new Shanghai Planetarium is now near to its opening. [Photo/IC]

Excitement is building among space enthusiasts of all kinds and ages for the takeoff of the Shanghai Planetarium – located in the Lin-gang Special Area in East China's Shanghai – which is set to officially open on July 17 and open its doors to the public on July 18.

Boasting a floor space of more than 38,000 square meters, it is reportedly the biggest planetarium in the world.

It has three themed exhibition areas and over 300 exhibits, 50 percent of which are interactive exhibits.

If they want to, enthusiasts can sign up for a sneak peek for this Saturday, July 10. A total of 3,000 preview tickets can be booked through the official website – www.sstm-sam.org.cn – from 9 am on July 9. The ticket price is 1 yuan ($0.15).