Belle Isle Aquarium

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Belle Isle Aquarium

In 2005, the 101-year-old Belle Isle Aquarium was the oldest operating aquarium in the United States.
Date opened	August 18, 1904
Date closed	April 3, 2005
Location	Belle Isle Park, Detroit, Michigan, USA
Accreditations/ Memberships	AZA
Website

The Belle Isle Aquarium, located on Belle Isle Park in Detroit, Michigan, was the oldest continually-operating aquarium in North America. Designed by noted architect Albert Kahn, it opened on August 18, 1904. It was completely outfitted in tile from the Pewabic Pottery which covers the vaulted sea green ceiling. [[1]] It specially featured freshwater species native to the Great Lakes region as well as salt-water species from around the world including breeding programs for several endangered species.

The aquarium made news in 2002 when one of its female white-spotted bamboo sharks gave birth to two young despite not having been near a male in six years in a suspected rare case of parthenogenesis.[2]

The aquarium was operated by the Detroit Zoological Society which also runs the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Zoo. The aquarium featured a single arched-ceiling gallery with 10,000 square feet (900 m²) of space. Attendance was on a declining trend in its final decade: 113,000 visitors toured the aquarium in 1995; 86,000 in 2000; and 56,000 in 2004.

Interior of aquarium with its single green-tile curved ceiling gallery meant to evoke an underwater feeling.

The aquarium basement served as a speakeasy during Prohibition and later held large fish which no longer fit the Belle Isle Zoo's gallery tanks. Closed circuit television allowed remote viewing of these fish. The aquarium was slightly remodeled in the 1950s.

The aquarium was closed by the City of Detroit on April 3, 2005 for budgetary reasons. Supporters of the aquarium are presently scrambling to find donors to help defray the building's operating costs while the city claims to be planning a new modern aquarium to be located elsewhere. Most of the fish will be moved to other aquariums around the world while a few representing native Michigan species may be retained for display at the zoo.

On August 3, 2005, Detroit citizens voted to reopen the aquarium by an overwhelming margin (88% in favor, 12% opposed). [3] However, the vote was non-binding and the aquarium remains closed.