The Metro: Belle Isle Aquarium celebrating 120th anniversary

The Belle Isle Aquarium has a lot to celebrate. America’s oldest aquarium has reached a major milestone and is turning 120 years old.

The celebration is all the sweeter because the aquarium was almost completely lost. In 2005, the site was shuttered by the city because of budget constraints. The aquarium reopened in 2012 and since then has been supported by the nonprofit Belle Isle Conservancy.

To talk about the Belle Isle Aquarium, how they’ll be celebrating the space on Sunday, and all the work that’s going on at the Belle Isle Conservancy, we were joined by CEO Dr. Meagan Elliot.

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The building was designed by architect Albert Kahn in 1901. Kahn designed a number of historic buildings in Detroit — including the Fisher Building. 

“What I learned recently is when it opened, there was a line from the aquarium steps all the way across Belle Isle, across the MacArthur bridge, and that hit Jefferson Avenue,” Elliot said. 

There’s a wide variety of both freshwater and saltwater creatures at the aquarium, with 44 tanks in total housing aquatic life. 

“We kind of rotate in and out. So we get to change it up, tell the story of all those fish,” Elliot said. “We also have an exhibit that highlights the plastic waste on the island.” 

Elliot stated one of the most exciting creatures on display right now is an octopus.

“Kids love coming in for that. It’s really fun to look at all the tentacles,” Elliot shared. “Sometimes he’s shy and will be in the corner, and then it comes out and kind of displays all eight arms.” 

The Belle Isle Aquarium 120th anniversary celebration is on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Festivities include an outdoor aquatic science station, crafts, a live DJ, bounce house and more.

More headlines from The Metro for Aug. 16, 2024:

• Late last year, a federal court sided with a group of Black metro Detroit voters who felt the state’s independent redistricting commission went too far in breaking up the city’s legislative districts. That court ruled the commission illegally considered race too much in drawing its maps. The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission recently finished redrawing several of metro Detroit’s state Senate and House districts. The new House map had its first electoral test during this month’s primary elections. To discuss the redistricting commission, we’re joined by chair Anthony Eid.
• Two autonomous shuttle pilot programs launched this week in the city to not only test the technology, but also provide residents with new services. The Metro producer Jack Filbrandt climbed aboard, buckled up, and trusted a computer to take him from Lafayette Central Park to Whole Foods in Midtown. Detroit’s Chief of Mobility Innovation Tim Slusser was also on the ride to discuss how Accessibili-D works.
• This past week, Detroit Documenters were at a Board of Police Commissioners Community Meeting and a Detroit Public Schools Community District Board meeting. To share more about what they learned and community comments from each meeting, Detroit Documenters Coordinator Lynelle Herndon and Detroit resident and Documenter Colleen Cirocco join The Metro.