Belle Isle Aquarium

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 and 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.[1]

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 of space. Attendance has been on a declining trend; 113,000 visitors toured the aquarium in 1995; 86,000 in 2000; but only 56,000 in 2004.

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

The aquarium was closed by the Mayor of Detroit on April 3, 2005 for budgetary reasons. Critics point out that the closure of the aquarium would save only about $350,000 annually towards the city's $230 million deficit, but this argument does not seem to have swayed the city government. 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.

External Links

• Public Aquarium
• Friends of Belle Isle
• Friends of Belle Isle Aquarium