The Belle Isle Aquarium: Fam-Day and Detroit History

My son sent me a text of a flyer for the Belle Isle Aquarium suggesting a family outing. Since the very next day was a school holiday, we decided it was the perfect day to get out and go down to Belle Isle. We only told the kids that we were going somewhere and it was a surprise. 

“Swimming but it’s not the beach.
Glass but not the kind you drink out of.
And its deep, but not a hole. ”

— Hints for the Day Ahead!

My grandson started to wheedle for hints… So these are hints that we gave: Swimming but it's not the beach. Glass but not the kind you drink out of. And its deep, but not a hole. This kept him going the whole ride there, LOL!

Such good memories! I have enjoyed times at Belle Isle as a child all the way into my adult years, everything from the giant slide to the playscape, picnics and barbecues and just driving around looking cool in the Summer time! 

Me at 10 years old, horseback riding at Belle Isle

Belle Isle Park is a 982 acre island park located in Detroit. There are many historic, environmental and cultural resources on the island such as fishing, canoeing and kayaking, the Belle Isle Aquarium, Anna Scripps Whitcomb conservatory, Dawson great lakes museum, Belle Isle nature Center, the James Scott memorial fountain and more. (Belle Isle Conservancy website) 

Belle Isle Aquarium originally opened on August 18, 1904 and it was designed by George D Mason and Albert Kahn, very notable architects. At that time it was the third largest aquarium in the United States and as of today it is the oldest aquarium in the entire country. The aquarium was closed in 2005 but reopened in 2012 thanks to voters and the BelleIsle Conservancy. 

The architecture of this building is absolutely gorgeous. There is one large gallery with a beautiful arched ceiling which is covered in a green glass tile called opalite. It glows as if you are at the bottom of the sea, gazing up at sunlit waters.

In my research I found out that during the days of prohibition, the aquarium basement was a speakeasy! It would definitely be a cool site for a speakeasy.

The aquarium features freshwater species that are native to the Great Lakes but also has many salt water species from around the world. There are about 60 fish tanks and we each had our favorites. My favorite was the golden eels that look like something straight out of SpongeBob. My granddaughter shrieked with absolute delight at what she called the "Dory Tank" that had all the saltwater friends from one of her favorite movies. My grandson said he wanted to see a turtle and his eyes were as big as saucers when he saw the snapping turtle that was bigger than a turkey!! 

Despite it being a relatively small aquarium by today's "Big-box" and "Super-mall" standards, it was a very rich and rewarding experience for the kids and my son and myself! It seemed just big enough to hold the children's attention without overwhelm or sensory fatigue. There are two simple but thoughtful interactive exhibits, one that demonstrates an electric eel's current and the other is a model of Belle Isle that lights up. 

As you enter and exit the aquarium, the Plastic Ocean exhibit at the Belle Isle Aquarium shows hundreds of different single use plastics, grocery bags, containers and other hazards suspended in an arch from a fishnet above. This is a colorful but sobering display of the danger and ongoing problem of plastics in our oceans, waterways, and beaches. And a reminder to reduce, reuse, and recycle! 

Overall we had a wonderful time and the kids really enjoyed themselves. The Belle Isle Aquarium is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday so consider this for a educational and fun weekend outing for the family. Admission is free but donations are welcomed.