America’s Oldest Aquarium, Located In Michigan, Was Recently Named America’s Most Beautiful
By Jack Springgate|Published March 07, 2024
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Jack Springgate
Author
I'm proud to be from the great state of Michigan. I've lived in the Mitten several different times throughout my life spending time in all corners of it. My journeys took me up and down the Lake Michigan coast, out east to explore Detroit and Ann Arbor, and to the dense forests of the UP.
Before writing with Only In Your State, I worked as a local TV news reporter and anchor, most recently in South Bend. Many of the stories I covered took place in Southwest Michigan. My roots are even deeper in the Wolverine State as I often head to Kalamazoo to visit family.
When I'm not out exploring nature, I'm avidly watching sports. I specifically have a deep love for the Michigan Wolverines (my alma mater), and I get to write about them and several other Big Ten teams as and editor for Athlon Sports. I also love to enjoy the great outdoors with my wife and our dog, Piper.
I'm excited to share all my favorite Michigan destinations with you. Keep exploring.
There’s something indescribable about walking through old buildings. I’m left wondering how many other people have walked this same path without acknowledging the countless others who will follow. Detroit is a hotbed of old buildings, vacant and occupied, for people to explore.
First opening in 1904, the Belle Isle Aquarium stands out with its impressive architecture. The building was designed by the famous architect Albert Kahn.
Guests were greeted with a walkway of seafoam green tiles as they entered this meticulously designed interior. The goal was to give patrons the sense they were in an underwater sea cavern among the species they observed.
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Just like in 1904, this aquarium is home to a variety of species coming from both local Michigan waters and the furthest reaches of the world’s oceans.
The aquarium underwent its first renovation in 1954, replacing carp-filled floor pools (which also collected its fair share of rubbish) with new exhibit tanks to hold tropical fish. At the time, the aquarium curator considered it the largest collection of fish ever put on display.
Through the second half of the 20th-century, attendance drastically declined. Attendance topped 1.8 million in 1931, slumping to one million in the 60s. By 1995, it only attracted 113,000 annual visitors. Within 10 years, the aquarium's annual attendance wouldn’t even reach 60,000.
The aquarium sadly closed its doors after years of economic issues and declining interest.
However, a new passion for the Belle Isle Aquarium emerged shortly after the longtime attraction was taken away from Detroiters. The Belle Isle Conservancy helped raise funds and restore the aquarium to operational standards, reopening the more than 100-year-old attraction.
Once only hosting 44 display tanks, the aquarium is now home to more than 200 different freshwater and saltwater aquatic species.
Its comeback is catching the eyes of aquatic experts across the country. Aquarium Store Depot named the Belle Isle Aquarium the Most Beautiful Aquarium in America for 2023.
It took the top spot among 175 aquariums across the country.
The rankings categorized all these aquariums by the proportion of Tripadvisor reviews that used the words “beautiful”, “breathtaking”, and “picturesque”. Approximately 30.7 percent of reviews referenced the beauty of the Belle Isle Aquarium, more than any other aquarium in the nation.
Tripadvisor isn’t just a good source for polls like this, but it’s also a great place to find a place to stay if you plan on visiting the Bell Isle Aquarium. The absolute best part about visiting is that it’s free.
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