Belle Isle Aquarium sits inside Belle Isle Park in Detroit, Michigan, in a Beaux-Arts building designed by architects George D. Mason and Albert Kahn. It opened on August 18, 1904. The Detroit Historical Society says it was the third-largest aquarium in the world at the time. When it closed in 2005, it was the longest continuously running aquarium in the United States.
The city closed the aquarium on April 3, 2005, to save money, and it stayed dark for seven years. Volunteers with the Friends of the Belle Isle Aquarium kept the building maintained, and it reopened on September 15, 2012, with the nonprofit Belle Isle Conservancy leading fundraising and restocking. Today it is a small, free, volunteer-supported landmark that doubles as a piece of Detroit history.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: 3 Inselruhe Avenue, Belle Isle Park, Detroit, Michigan
- Opened: August 18, 1904 (closed April 3, 2005; reopened September 15, 2012)
- Architects: George D. Mason and Albert Kahn
- Size: About 10,000 square feet
- Tank capacity: About 32,000 US gallons
- Species/animal count: Over 200 species of aquatic animals, per Wikipedia (about 1,500 fish of 146 species were reported in 2005)
- Annual visitors: 113,000 in 1995 and 56,000 in 2004, the last full year before the closure
- Famous for: Its green glass-tile arched ceiling and its history as one of the longest continuously running aquariums in the United States before 2005
Inside the Green-Tiled Gallery
The building is essentially one large gallery. Its arched ceiling is covered in green glass tile to evoke an underwater feeling. Tanks line the walls, and the collection leans toward freshwater species, including fish native to Michigan and the Great Lakes. Its small size makes it an easy stop, and the architecture is as much the draw as the fish.
A Long Road Back
Visitor numbers fell from about 113,000 in 1995 to 56,000 in 2004, and the city closed the aquarium in April 2005. Volunteers and the Belle Isle Conservancy pushed for its return, and it reopened on September 15, 2012. In 2002, a female white-spotted bamboo shark there gave birth after years without a male, which suggested parthenogenesis and drew international attention. Local accounts also say the basement operated as a speakeasy during Prohibition.
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Belle Isle Aquarium FAQs
When did Belle Isle Aquarium open?
It opened on August 18, 1904. The architects were George D. Mason and Albert Kahn.
Is Belle Isle Aquarium free to visit?
Yes, according to Wikipedia, admission is free. It is run by the Belle Isle Conservancy and has recently been open Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hours can change, so check with the Conservancy before you go.
Why did Belle Isle Aquarium close in 2005, and when did it reopen?
The City of Detroit closed it on April 3, 2005, to reduce city expenses. It reopened on September 15, 2012, with the Belle Isle Conservancy leading fundraising and restocking.
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Photo: Rmhermen at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.