Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Belle Isle Aquarium in Detroit
Categories
Location on the map
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, US
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Yes
Amenities
Good for kids
Yes
Phone: +1 313-331-7760
Site: http://www.belleisleconservancy....
Site: http://www.belleisleconservancy....
Opening hours
- Monday:Closed
- Tuesday:Closed
- Wednesday:Closed
- Thursday:Closed
- Friday:10AM–4PM
- Saturday:10AM–4PM
- Sunday:10AM–4PM
Comments (199)
Wonderful aquarium! Technically free to enter, but a $5 donation is appreciated. Love all the vast sealife from various spots in the world and the little fact boxes all around about each creature. Definitely check this out when youre in the area!
Awesome exhibit! I cant believe that its free to enter! The place is kind of small but it is packed full of all kinds of different fish and other aquatic life.
The Aquarium is self guided and they ask for donation but it is free. Next door is the Botanical garden which has a beautiful arrangement of plants to enjoy. Its small but give a large feel. A must see if you go on Belle Isle
Absolutely fantastic for a quick tour of America’s oldest aquarium! It was fun and informative and free (but we did leave a donation)
I am not a big fan of animals captured for people to enjoy. That is why I dont give 5 stars. However, it had a nice historical wine. The green tiling inside gave you kinda underwater feeling. There were both exotic and common fish. Some where not fish at all. I didnt like that some of them had very small tanks considering their size. I would get depressed like the piranhas. They were not moving just waiting for some intervention in their life. Nice, bit sad.
This aquarium is really neat, with a lot of Michigan native fish and some invasive species. Very nice, clean, FREE, walk-thru aquarium.
Love this place! Great for anyone of any age! Just a donation gets you in! Would recommend to anyone, & will come back again!
I couldnt believe this place was free. Left a donation! My husband took me here for a romantic day away. The place is small but yet beautiful as ever. Fun to watch the kids with their big eyes see all the fish.
Love this place. Oldest aquarium in the country and it looks like you can still eat off the floor, its so clean (but probably not recommended). Its free, but come on. Donate some green for this emerald of Detroit!
This is amazingly beautiful. It offers you the opportunity to see different species of fish. Its a must visit place if you are in Detroit
An absolutely fun aquarium to visit. Beautiful inside and out with a great collection of fish and even live coral to enjoy. The only negative I can think is that this aquarium is small.
Said to be the oldest Aquarium in the world. It was great to see different species of sea creatures under one roof.
A great place to visit when youre around Detroit. Its magnificent that this facility is coming back (Albert Kahn designs). Under the Belle Isle Conservacy, they have the annual Spring clean-up and the Koi Festival. Highly recommend to all whom are aquarists and into historical buildings with unique designs and structures.
Its free. Definitely take the children or just check it out yourself love to see and learn about the different fish electric eels turtles etc. Then the Botanical Gardens are right next to it.
Nice way to spend time with the family. Take the kids and have a little fun. The aquarium use really nice.
Very cute! Small but free, & also the oldest aquarium in the USA, apparently! Love the whole area & idea of the island of Belle Isle & the park & all the fun little things to do there, mostly free. Its also located next to the botanical gardens which are also free. Great little outing with kids.
One of the best short time tour idea for specially with family and kids. Aquarium is however not big but fish collection is nice. It’s free but advisable to donate $5.Botanical garden is also beautifully designed and contains too many verities of plants, trees, Vines, Cactus, Herbs.
Such a cool space with lots of different fish to see and learn about. Free admission with a suggested donation of $5 cannot be beat.
Fun little aquarium. No entry fee, donations accepted.
This is such a unique aquarium on Belle Isle. I learned a lot about the fish in the great lakes. There are species that I thought were only salt water fish but they thrive in fresh water. Very interesting. Its inexpensive as they only ask for donations which is great for people with families that may be struggling but want to do a fun activity with their kids.
So fun! Small aquarium but lots of education. A diamond in the ruff.
This is a small aquarium that is perfect for little kids. The displays are smaller, but we didnt have to look hard to find the fish. Our 4 year old was appropriately entertained and the smaller size of the aquarium allowed us to see everything before he became bored. The facility was clean and the the tiled ceiling was beautiful.
Beautiful aquarium. The docents have such wonderful information to share
Free and beautiful...Oldest aquarium in America! The Beaux Art design and tiled ceiling are def worth the visit.
Went on a Saturday too crowded.Free of charge , you queue outside in a line then enter and fish aquariums are aligned around like a u shape path to follow . Abit hot Cz of environment for fish
Awesome little spot in a historic building. No entry fee but donations encouraged. Staff were nice. Parking is easy. Restrooms nearby.
The fish were beautiful, the electric eel had a sensor in the tank for when it was sending electric pulses looking for prey. But it was so crowded, it was difficult to get very close. The axolotls were my favorite.
The hard work is paying off. Many new exhibits. A few more need to be built. Know that bathrooms are at station 7 by the parking lot. Very clean everything worked. Lots of people were visiting this day.
First time at the Belle Isle Aquarium in decades. Lovely outing.
I enjoyed all the different species of fish and plants, but was pretty crowded, but other than that was enjoyable to visit and experience
Was crowded the day we went, that is to be expected as we were there on one of the nicest weekends of the season so far. Nice small aquarium, free admission they do accept donations. Great place to take the kids or grandkids.
Its a small aquarium but with a really great selection of aquatic life. Beautiful, weird and surprising. Great free outing and amazing offering for kids and families whether they are visiting Belle Isle or just want to visit the aquarium.
Always good to go to the Belle Isle aquarium. My all-time favorite is the Sea horses
Small, but filled with abundant learning experiences. You wont want to miss the cute axolotl!
Great place to take the kids for a quick trip
Great place to visit. It is clean and has interesting fishes. Like the Humphead fish.
Wow it was packed. People are definitely getting out and about. Recommended donations seem to be odd since its now a state park. Donations are probably needed because of lack of funds supplied to Belle Isle. Lots of changes since it became a state park.
Fantastic free aquarium in the heart of Detroit located on beautiful Belle island
The oldest public aquarium in the United States and one of the most beautiful. Its an amazing chance to see yet another flex of Albert Kahns architectural cleverness. The green tiled ceilings are sourced from Detroits own Pewabic and make you feel as though you are amongst the fish under water. Truly an architectural and design marvel (and the exhibits are great too!). Its a few steps away from the Belle Isle Conservatory, another Detroit treasure.
Small place but very cool, sign said it was the oldest aquarium in the country and or known universe. The architecture was just as enjoyable as the exhibits.
Beautiful old building and many nice clean fish tanks.
Love this place, since I was a kid. Where else can you enjoy such a wide variety of Sea Animals, free of charge. By the way. Im 56 years old, and never get tired of this place.
Adorable little aquarium that was a lot of fun for my family. Love to see all the hard work they put into taking care of these magnificent creatures. Please do yourself a favor and visit Belle Isle when the pandemic is over.
Lots of different fish you don’t see at most aquariums! Upside they don’t have an entrance fee they just ask for a donation!
Very nice aquarium, small in size but great variety of fish. Donations are accepted no entrance fees.
Small and beautiful Bele Isle Aquarium, No entry fees but they accept donations to maintain it nice and clean. Volunteers are nice and friendly. Good for kids. They open Friday to Sunday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Enough parking space and beautiful garden just next to this Aquarium. Had a great time with friends last weekend. One of the best place to visit in the Island. Highly recommended 👌👌
Small free aquarium on Bell Isle, great for kids with short attention spans that want to move quick! Also great to learn about the aquatic life in the Great Lakes.
This place is SO cute with really interesting exhibits and a lot to learn. It’s not a super large aquarium but it has a ton of charm!
It has been years since I was there. Really enjoyed it. Brought back many childhood memories. Good family fun
Its a very small aquarium, but it was cool. Just really small also the only cool fish there are axolotles and piranhas.
Was a very beautiful place, we had an absolute great time there. It was our first time so we didnt get a chance to see everything but the nature center and aquarium were awesome. Even had a scavenger hunt for the kids. Many places to rest, eat and play. Views of the lake were gorgeous! Will be going back because of all the wild life and scenery!!
I love belle isle. The aquarium is small but has a lot of fish in it for tge size it is. It is such a great place to take my boys to and they got so excited to see all the different fish there. Saltwater tanks and freshwater tanks and fish from all over the world. They give information about each fish and where they are from. It is a great learning experience. You can even go there to see tge piranha eat at certain times each day. Super amazing to watch. It is all done by donations to enter the aquarium to help them feed the fish. It is very nice!
A fun little free stop to make! Some of the fish are super cool! Your kids will love it!
Really enjoyed ThenBelle Islle Aquarium all the aquatic sea animals and mammals were really interesting and funny in my videos my table hit the ground and cracked and broke because they wickedly wanted it too
Okay - don’t expect rare species over here. The aquarium is good, no doubt and there is diversity in species, etc but the infrastructure is not that greatThey have great diversity and yet they have it in small dark cages - you can obviously see the animals but it’s like no fun and super darkIt’s a good family spot to hangout but a no-no for folks who are visiting specially for colourful visuals
Very nice Aquarium. Good amount of fishes on exhibits, good information with proper photos of each spice of fish. Enjoyed visit very much. Few photos & video explains well about this nice place
A real nice aquariumTakes 30 to 60 minutes to see depending on how long you want to see the fish display. The building itself is a sure to see. The green tile creates a view itself. Its free. But you need a state park pass to get on the island. I would recommend it for anyone.
I absolutely LOVED my visit to this aquarium. I was delighted to learn that it is the oldest aquarium in the USA. I was more delighted to read about the awards that the staff has won for research, conservation, and breeding efforts for saving imperiled species. My favorite was the volt-meter display for the electric eel. Before my visit I had not known that the electric eel is nearly constantly giving off electricity for navigation, protection, and pursuing prey. My second favorite were the beautiful poison dart frogs. All the stingrays were great. I could go on and on until Google shuts off my letter supply. Attached are some of my aquarium photos. As others have said, its free with free-will donations gratefully appreciated.
Did you know this is Americas first aquarium is nearly 120 years old. It is awesome for kids and adults alike and shows the great diversity of the aquatic life of michigan as well as the amazing analogues to oceanic dwelling creatures in their fresh water forms like fugu and rays. Be sure to put money in the box on entry to feed the fish. This place runs on donations. One of Detroits many gems.
We really enjoyed the oldest aquarium in America even though its still being renovated. I loved seeing the hand-placed green tile ceiling I had heard so much about while Belle Isle Aquarium was being restored. There is quite a few interesting fish, some interactive displays for the kids to enjoy, and room to grow as more display tanks are still being worked on. You can see the long history here, as you look around into nooks and crannies like the gift shop and how the workmanship is so different from today.
The aquarium is okay. It kind of smells and there aren’t that many exhibits but the surrounding area is absolutely beautiful. There’s tons of open space to run around and enjoy yourself.
Great place to visit! Free, fish are well taken care of and I love the koi pond next door. Also great area to walk and see the river!!
Located close to the conservatory and its free entry.There is a souvenir shop close to the entrance.The place had electric eel,sea horses, sting ray etc. The kids were all excited and thrilled.
Belle Isle is a historical beauty of Detroit. This is one of several free attractions that is open to the public. Nice place to visit with the family, to take a date, or just relax and do some self meditating. If your a tourist, you must stop by. One of the best summer spot with now canoeing, paddle boating, kayaking, nature trail, basketball courts, riverside views, in much more. Love this place!
This was a treat to experience, the oldest aquarium in the country. The building itself is pretty cool too.
Bell Isle Aquarium is a local gem. The had food trucks outside during our visit, so we got to taste the local food truck scene as welll. There is no charge to visit. You get great close ups of quite a few different species of fish and amphibians. There is a good historical perspective of the local waterways.
Beautiful aquarium, due to it’s age it’s has a very unique style inside that transports you back in time. The building is small but there’s still a good deal of fish to see inside as well as a few amphibians. I’ll definitely be returning again!
Belle Island is looking great under the states management. The botanical garden and aquarium are really beautiful!
Free and Educational.Small aquarium with a beautiful interior and surprising variety of marine life. I learned a few new things and appreciated the emphasis they put on the sustainability of ecology. Perfect for the family or inexpensive date.
This is a small aquarium with fresh water fishes. The building is beautiful and the entrance is free you can leave a donation if you like. I also recommend check the conservatory next door.
Super neat. Belle isle in general is an amazing value proposition for a family now that it is maintained by the dnr. Its clean, well kept, updated and staffed. The aquarium specifically is small, but the old green glass ceiling is super cool. The whole vibe of the place is awesome. My kids loved it. We went around 4 ish times before we finally called it. Recreation passport is a steal at 13 bucks. The conservancy is right next door to it. Awesome, awesome awesome!!!!
Beautiful building and great exhibits. The grandbabies loved it! I have been going there for 50 years myself!
A pretty short walk through, but free admission + cool fish and facts + very cool interior design = I had a great time 🐠
Nice stop on our visit to the island. I was surprised to find that the admission is free but they do have a donation box. It is really small but has good information on local aquatic life as well as from other places. Our favorite part was seeing the Sea Horses & watching the eels. The meter they have that tells how much electric the eel is giving off was especially interesting to see, it really gets you thinking!
It would be an understatement to say that this is my favorite place in Detroit. From the architecture to the aquatic life, everything is perfect.
An amazing look at an early 20th century aquarium! Built in 1904, the integrity of the building has really been preserved.
It was so amazing, they have some new exhibits. Just check out some of my photos. Its free but the really need, donations to keep running it. Its great.
I remember coming here as a kid. Really great to see its well maintained. Enjoyed our visit. I recommend that everyone come to Belle Isle.
Nice place. Great collection of variety of dishes. They do have some fish feeding timings. You can see one if you are lucky.
Considering it was free, it was nice to see some smaller exotic fish though nothing special. Gotta love the Sturgeon, that being the oldest fish on Earth. The Greenhouse is really unique, the giant palm tree is unbelievable.
Not much to see as an aquarium, but since it is close to the conservatory and the Great Lakes museum, and has free admission, won’t hurt to come by and give it a quick visit. PS: the building is actually more interesting than what’s inside of it imo.
Really cool place that would be great for family outings. They have a nice selection of animals and keep the place pretty clean. You should get a state park pass though.
What a great place. No charge to get in but drop a donation. Very clean and well taken care of. Had a great time.
So happy to see this place back open on weekends. Love coming here and looking at the beautiful architecture of the building while learning about all the fish.
Very pretty, historic aquarium with a breat variety of fish. There is no entry fee so be sure to leave a donation to help keep this gorgeous gem of Detroit in operation.
It doesnt have AC so I wouldnt go when its too hot, but its definitely a worthwhile spot. The ceiling is old school glass tile that still looks impressive for its age. Its run with public donations, but still manages to keep a variety of fish and other creatures. They could use a few updates, but Im giving this a 5 cause its free. Check it out, its worth a look at least.
Its small and fun, entry is free, donation is welcomed to feed fish. Well maintained and friendly staff.
Besides being a humid day. It was nice to see all the people out and about. Not sure about 1.2 million dollars being put into the aquarium. But it was really CLEAN. Ive been going to belle isle for over 40 yrs. Never seen it this nice. Looks like all the aquariums with cleaned top to bottom inside and out. I know they operate on donations but. and as many times Ive been there I cant ever remember the door unlocked for the lily pond. Definitely worth stopping in and dropping a couple of bucks into donations bin.
This place is like a time capsule. I love it! The green tile ceiling is beautiful, and the variety of fish to see is quite great!
Beautiful and historic place
The Belle Isle Aquarium is a little on the small side. I felt bad for some of the fish as the tanks seemed really cramped. Several of the tanks were empty. I probably wouldnt go again. Its only open Friday to Sunday but has admission by donation and lots of parking. The staff wasnt particularly friendly. The architecture of the building was pretty cool and its noted as the first aquarium in the US.
My family had so much fun here! The aquarium is big but not huge - the perfect size for toddler attention spans. The staff was also super friendly, even though the place was absolutely packed.
This aquarium is so beautiful and it’s free!I definitely would check it out if your at Belle Isle.
Its a free aquarium on Belle Isle. The fish are cute and its an awesome historical building. Definitely well worth the visit!
I remember coming to the aquarium as a child! Its even better now. Extremely hot and crowded but to see all the fish was definitely worth it. Friendly staff, free of charge, and if you feel led, theres a canister for donations.Belle Isle is coming back to life and better than ever!
Loved it! Nice size aquarium. Free. Would really recommend for families with kids.
A very nice hourish experience
Oldest continuously running aquarium in the US. Its small but its free.
Very cool spot with a lot of different species to see. Was a little crowded midday on a Saturday, but not too big of a deal. Close to other attractions on the island. Definitely recommend. Did I mention free?!? Very cool tile and building as well.
Free to the public, went here with my niece for the first time. She was so excited to see Dory and Nemo!
Hidden gem. A must-see when on Belle Isle - and for free !!Recommend to donate ($10 ?), to keep the aquarium going...
If you’re haven’t been there, what are you waiting for? Smaller aquarium but definitely worthy.
Definitely worth a visit! The building and architecture are very cool, exhibits are interesting, and staff is friendly and helpful. And its free!
Free - Family Fun. Took my younger nephews here for a fun free day out and had quite a good time.
What a great day we had visiting visiting the aquarium. Volunteers were friendly and informative.
It is so beautiful the last few years! My Dad took us there as kids. What an adventure!But we stopped as it became run down.Now it is lovely. B/c the state has taken care of it?Love the Aquarium & Conservatory!A true gem!We have been there twice over the summer.The Aquarium & Conservatory are lovely again.Thank goodness the Aquarium is so bright & shiny again.I forgot how stunning it is.
Nice little Aquarium. Beautiful grounds. Loved the upside down jelly fish! Come visit the conservatory too. Gem of Detroit!
I absolutely love this place but it is a little dirty but still I love the fish 🐠 and the green siling
Pretty cool. Took my grandson. Only thing I didnt like was no sharks.
Better than I had even hoped. Such a cool building and great displays.
Very happy to have been able to see the elusive GOLDFISH while I visited the aquarium. Nice.
Very nice place to bring the kids!Interesting information for the little onesA little too warm in the end of the hall but it’s really good Aquarium to visitThere is a small store with souvenirs to help maintenanceDonate in the front to support ! There is a box to collect donations
Went to the plant enclosure and it was wonderful. Natural beauty on display from all the tropical plants and deserts from the world. A must see!!
Great place! Small but very representative and always interesting and challenging to find a hidden treasure - a fish, a frog, a snake, a bug.......Love this place. Always visit together Aquarium and conservatory.Thank you for the aquarium reopening
Definitely somewhere I will visit again. We stopped by while driving through and Im so glad we did! Alot of information available for the species they have there. Beautiful building and grounds.
I have being going here since. I was 3 years old and now im 42. Wish they open more
Perfect for our five year old! Free to visit, there is an encouraged $5 donation.
I love this place I wish they would add more fish but Im excited for the penguin exhibit to come!
Whom ever is in charge of this place needs a raise. This place is very well kept clean and safe. Very polite people working there as well as visters.
Free admission, they ask for donations. Lots of fish and reptiles for being a smaller aquarium. Its a must see on Belle Isle!
Very cool aquarium not big but really cool place
This place was so cool. Nothing fancy here just a lot of nice volunteers and great selection of animals to observe
It is nice but the area isnt that great. Nothing has changed since i was a kid, i havent been at this place for 15 years.
Very neat place to take out of state visitors for a quick, economical stop. This is one of the oldest, if not the oldest aquarium in the United States. Its also on Belle Island which is always great.
Beautiful and I love how a cat kicks it in the garden he should get like 2 friends
Great place to take your family. Theres a nice ramp access with an automatic door at the top for those who need it.
Not Open at time I was there..Check their Website..see photographs...DLM
This is a nice little Aquarium on the Island and they have nice sections for different species. Sometimes its over crowded but hey it is free and there is no fee to get in so enjoy your visit.
The oldest running public aquarium in the US, theres always some interesting aquatic creatures here, and many are native. There are longer term residents, like the gar, seahorses, the electric eels, stingrays, and a handful of fish. There are also rotating displays, like when the sturgeon were there last summer.The building is a modest size and reflects the style of the turn of the 19th to 20th century with its large center ceiling dome and gorgeous tile. Theres a small gift shop with some cool stuff and the volunteers have been very nice about my energetic toddlers that I tend to have to chase after.Almost everyone who cares for the place is a volunteer, so while entrance is free, if able, please consider donating as funds help with the animals and building. The aquarium is next to the conservatory, which has an amazing array of plants. Theres a year round koi pond between the two. There is also a doorway that connects both buildings, but has been sealed up for decades. There is talk of opening it up; not sure if that will happen with recent renovations.
Its a beautiful place to see different kinds of fishes
Highly recommend this gem in Detroit. If you have time to visit, you should. Beautiful architecture, kind volunteers, and interesting fish. They recently completed a restoration while shut down during COVID which really adds to the positive experience.
Excitingly wonderful. A brilliant splendor of nature, family and historical collaboration, embracing the soul of the sunlit skies over a Saturday afternoon outing. An enrichment to behold. Take a serene pause in living to visit Detroits jewel on the river.
Entry fee is free, donations are appreciated. Fun place to vist
Awesome experience!
Just as I remembered it from many years ago. Too many spots were boarded up or painted over with no fish present. Buy we enjoyed what was available. Beside the fish we really liked the eel variety especially the tiny garden eels popping up through the sand.
A nice evening stroll thru. Its a great thing and hope they keep renovating to have all tanks up and running eventually I suggest visiting and donating to help the cause :)
The place definitely improved a little bit since they updated it some. I still think they could add a little more decorations or something in there maybe some things on the wall for decorations I think its a little too dark in there. I have a place where I live called SeaWorld on common and Gratiot and their aquariums are 10 times better
Is a really good motivation to start taking care of the good and safe environment in the area We are Living. Is a really good subject in all the Biological sciences.
I loved being able to get close up photos of the different species housed here.
This place was very neat. Small but neat. Free to enter but they accept donations of any amount at the entry way to help feed the fish.
Loved this place as a child and now my son loves it! We had an absolute ball feeding the fish in the pond with the other children and their parents... Definitely a must-do Detroit experience!
First time being there the woman who greeted us at the entrance was very friendly and pleasant enjoy looking at the different kinds of fish would visit again
Brilliant small aquarium that does more with its small footprint than most “nice” aquariums I have been to
Belle Isle Aquarium is always nice. Hadnt been in a number of years, it was definitely a pleasure to come back!!
Free free free free free!!! Donations accepted!!! Cant beat that if looking for family/ budget friendly fun!
Love this Aquarium...Oldest one in the United States
The Belle Isle Aquarium is a great place to visit. The grounds are beautiful and I enjoyed looking at the fish.
Its a small place but it sure is packed with lots of cool animals. Definitely a good place for a first date or something of that sort.
Belle isle is beautiful and they are doing really cool things
The Aquarium building is great to see. You must also visit the conservatory next door. It has much more to see.the plants and grounds are beautiful. There is also a Nature center on the island as well as Dawsons great lake museum.Bell Isle is a great place to go to spend the day.
The aquarium was closed when I visited it today its always closed. I havent been able to visit the aquarium in more than two years because its perpetually closed. However I visited the conservatory right next door to the aquarium and it was lovely.
Beautiful aquarium with its original ceiling tiles from the early 1900s
It was very nice, beautiful colors of the fish. The plaques gave there history. Beautiful Aquarium one of Detroits jewels restored.
Nice update ...plenty of fish to see..was there on a field trip..
I still Love this place.A lot of empty tanks, I miss all the different kinds of Trout & native fish like the giant garpike.
Very nice experience for all ages! Im glad people cared enough to save it for future generations.
Entertainment and education for the kids for free will always get 5 stars!
Beautiful building. Interesting displays.
Pretty cool. You can check out the conservatory next door as well.
Very clean place, I love the way they clean the thank of the fish 🐟
Great time but for first timers a map would be nice!
REALLY GOOD after the remodel from COVID. Quite a few tanks that had black covering it, and a very busy place. But the fish looked well taken care off, healthy, and some a-bit creepy.
Great historic opportunity in Detroit with Aquarium, Conservacy, beach, great hiking, canoeing etc.
Absolutely rare and wonderful find had great time plus conservatory too
Please remember the aquarium is not state funded so feel free to give donations. Its remarkable how far theyve come and the aquarium team has great ideas for the future.
Nice place, a lot of local and exotic species.
Free on the weekend. Really cool and Ive got to say Ive really learned some things
This was such an awesome place to go. The exhibits are nice. There is a lot of different fish to see. The architecture of the building is amazing. The whole area is beautiful. The aquarium is free to go through. There is a box that you can donate money to go for the aquarium. They also have a little gift shop. The building is not the biggest or most modern but it does provide a very intimate experience. I cant wait to go back.
Went for the Koi Fest. They blocked the sidewalk to the aquarium with the drums making it very difficult for my mom who uses a walker to get into the aquarium. Very disappointing experience.
Lines moved smoothly from each exhibit, tanks were clean, and it was a beautiful warm day. The area was well kept and beautiful scenery
Beautiful hadnt visited since I was a kid. Took my grandkids they Loved it
Like walking into the past. So cool and so much history right in Detroits backyard.
I took my great granddaughter here, I loved bringing her to a place that my mother took me to. The Conservancy has done a beautiful job.
Belle lsle is improving more and more each year now,nice to see!
This is a nice feature to the State park. It is an old building, with no flashy pizzazz of other big city aquariums. The exhibits are nice, and they have a good variety. We still love this aquarium. It is free with admission to the park. Donations are greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work!
My 18-month loved it here. I like how simple everything was. The sea creatures seem well taken care of and the staff/volunteers were so kind. It was my first time here. I really enjoyed it. My husband loves seahorses and piranhas, and they had both. He was so happy! It was a great experience for the whole family.
Awesome place. Good way to spend the day
The Aquarium is not open on Wednesdays when we were there. The grounds were beautiful and the Conservatory is GORGEOUS. Nice to see repairs and renovation being done on Detroits JEWEL.
Disappointed in the quality after quarantine. Many prominent exhibits were downscaled like the multiple Bichir tanks, Giant gourami, and clown knife being completely removed or put in only one tank. Some enclosures looked tacky like the fake coral inserts in marine tanks and the obvious fake plants in some freshwater enclosures. They had freshwater rays on gravel which is a big no-no for anyone who knows about rays. They also had one of the axolotl exhibits on gravel. A bit disappointed to see the quality go down, hopefully they can fix it
Best time ever and we got to see Santa and Mrs Claus
Free and cute, right next to a nice greenhouse too
Absolutely stunning place to visit with spectacular green tail ceilings. Very nice assortment of aquatic life, given the smaller size of the aquarium. Nice gift shop with locally branded trinkets. Next-door is the conservatory which is also amazing. Terrific place for an hour or two in the afternoon.
I cant wait to go back!!!
It was very nice and clean! Very nice displays!
Beautiful building with some interesting sea life for the kids to look at in amazement. If you’re going to Belle Isle, it’s definitely worth a visit.
My first time back since I was a kid. It may be small but they sure house a lot to see! The tanks and fish are very well taken care of. Theres lots of exotic fish from all over the world. And its free however I do hope people leave donations to help the animals and their upkeep. What a fun time!
Words cannot begin to describe what a wonderful day it was beautiful island
Was a good aquarium but our corrupt state departments will only allow things they profit from to be open. They claim this and the conservatory are shut down to Slow the spread and protect employees but the Bell Isle Casino, Detroit Yacht Club, and great Lakes museum (charged admission I believe) are perfectly safe? And definitely more essential, where else would the rich store their Yachts and have parties? Depressing times were in and we arent even allowed to occupy ourselves amongst the fish or plants. Maybe the recreation passport wont be worth it this year.
The aquarium is housed in a beautiful historic building with tons of character from the green tile ceiling to the stonework exterior. In terms of presentation it is small compared to other modern aquariums but this is more than made up for with excellent exhibits and passionate employees. There is no admission to enter although donations are appreciated upon exiting. My family really enjoyed our visit and Im sure yours will as well.
Total reviews rating 4.6
199 Reviews for Belle Isle Aquarium 2023:
Review №1
2022-04-13What an amazing place for anyone at any age. Great for kids and an amazing date for adults. Expect to spend more than 2 hrs to enjoy the aquarium and conservatory. The history of the building and fish population were neat and informational. We stopped off at Royal Oak Market for lunch. They have some great choices for a picnic on the island ❤️ it was a beautiful, slightly windy day and I highly suggest soaking up the ambiance of the island with a light lunch. Learn about some Great Lakes fish and ocean species, did you know an eel electrocutes stronger than a common household plug!? 😳
Review №2
2022-03-13This is a wonderful place! The Belle Isle Park is such a great park. The aquarium is located within the park grounds. Its easy to find following the signs. Once you drive the park a couple of times youll figure out how to manuver easily. The aquarium is very interesting. Admission is granted by a suggestion of making a donation. It really helps places to continue operating these facilities by the donations they receive. The interior of the building is pretty cool! The ceiling is completely tiled in this green tile which gives it a really cool vibe! My wife and I were really impressed with this modest aquarium. They are doing a great job 😊
Review №3
2022-05-01Some family and I took my student/my Great nephew and his cousin/sister on a field trip. We had a wonderful time. He recognized some fish from the cartoon Splash and Bubbles as well as Nemo. And we checked out the Conservatory next door too, where he participated in a scavenger hunt for plants. We really had a great time.
Review №4
2022-01-07Great place to visit. I went in November and the aquarium was smaller, but well taken care of. They were expanding to bring in more exhibits. The conservatory was spectacular with some amazing plant life. I am definitely going back.
Review №5
2022-01-03Lovely architecture! Plus the entry is by donation. In this day and age, that is amazing. Definitely small enclosures. But they have reduced how many fish are in each since back in the day. It was quite busy when we were there and people didnt seem to understand the flow. We all enjoyed ourselves.
Review №6
2022-03-03Seriously love the Belle Isle Aquarium and was heartbroken when it closed years ago. Of course, I was super excited when we got word that they were re-opening but the aquarium did not feel the same and you could tell they were struggling to get things going. When we went this time, you could tell the work that had gone into the aquarium since they reopened. It felt and looked more like it did prior to the shut down on this visit then it did on any of my previous visits. I had a blast and so did my kids. No question, we will go back. Already planning a summer trip and picnic on the island.
Review №7
2021-12-20Completely awesome gem of a location. Steeped in history and slathered with educational opportunities, this place is a must see if youre in the Detroit area. Amazing building with glistening blue-green tile that puts you under the sea. Each exhibit gives explanations and background. Staffed by volunteers who were friendly, helpful and personable. Loved the eel zap monitor! Great idea
Review №8
2022-05-09Beautiful place with an undeniablely classic feel. Its free and it wasnt terribly crowded. The attraction was educational yet very entertaining. I would come back again and again! Thank you for having this place open now to the public!
Review №9
2022-05-04Great place to visit with kids. Its not super large so it doesnt take a lot of time. But hit up the other buildings on the island and enjoy the park, it makes for a nice day. Architecture of the buildings are cool too.
Review №10
2022-04-05This place is wonderful they have unique fish and other aquatic creatures for free. I think that if you go you should donate, the town have so much to the community by making it free we should give back. They have so many colorful creatures and descriptions that have puns and cool information on them. Also the architecture of the building is beautiful it looks like and old church building and the inside feel is like your stepping into an ocean. I got to enjoy this with my family. There was a lot of people there and it was very crowded in some areas. On one hand that’s good for their business on the other hand it’s uncomfortable when you accidentally bump into someone or can’t see all the fish and have to live around the crowds.