Belle Isle Aquarium
Belle Isle Aquarium and its collection
Belle Isle Aquarium, opened in 1904, is an aquarium in Detroit, United States.
The building covers 10,000 square feet, with a single long gallery under an arched ceiling of green glass tiles. At the opening ceremony it was said to be the third largest aquarium in the world, holding 65,007 US gallons. In 2005 it ran 60 exhibits totalling 32,000 US gallons, with 146 species and more than 1,500 fish.
History
Doors opened on 18 August 1904 to a building designed by the architects George D. Mason and Albert Kahn. During Prohibition the basement served as a speakeasy, and in later years it housed oversized fish. Operation had passed to the Detroit Zoological Society by the time of the closure on 3 April 2005, at which point it was the longest continually running public aquarium in North America.
Animals and collection
The stock leans towards freshwater species of the Great Lakes, with saltwater species from elsewhere, and now runs to over 200 aquatic species.
Conservation and approach
A formal partnership with the state natural resources department covers the restocking of sturgeon in the Detroit River.
What the venue says
- distinctive green glass tile ceilings inside and beautiful rustic stonework outside
- the 10,000-square-foot historic interior
- striking historic architecture and vaulted tilework
- Parking is available throughout the park near major landmarks such as the Belle Isle Aquarium, Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, and Nature Center.
- Wheelchair-accessible routes connect major sites like the Belle Isle Aquarium
Images of Belle Isle Aquarium
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Tichnor Brothers, Publisher, public-domain, via Wikimedia Commons 
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Boston Public Library, CC-BY-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons 
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Rmhermen at English Wikipedia, CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons 
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Rmhermen at en.wikipedia, CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons 
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Rmhermen at en.wikipedia, CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons 
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Unknown authorUnknown author, public-domain, via Wikimedia Commons 
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Unknown authorUnknown author, public-domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Opening hours
| Days | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Friday – Sunday | 10:00 | 16:00 |
Hours can change on public holidays. Check with the venue before travelling.
Note that hours can occasionally vary or be adjusted during renovation projects
Facilities
- Wheelchair accessible routes
- Parking
Exhibitions & events
No upcoming events
No temporary exhibitions or scheduled public events are published for Belle Isle Aquarium at this time.
Location & map
3 Inselruhe AveDetroit
United States
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© OpenStreetMap contributors
Frequently asked questions
No frequently asked questions yet
We have not published any questions and answers for Belle Isle Aquarium.
Animals
Photographs show each species in general. They were not taken at Belle Isle Aquarium.