PHOTOS BY WENDY SADOFF AND ALLAN LENGEL
A lot has happened since the Belle Isle Aquarium opened 110 years ago this month.
The city's been on roller coaster ride, up and down, up and down. The aquarium closed down in 2005 during the Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick years because of budget cuts. The volunteer-operated facility officially reopened in September 2012.
And the state recently took over the operations of Belle Isle after a long, protracted fight with the city.
The Belle Isle Aquarium doesn't rank among the best in the nation. In fact, it doesn't even make the City Travler website's Top 25 Best Aquariums in America (Atlanta is #1). Not all the little aquariums are filled with live creatures. Some are filled with art.
Nonetheless, it's a cool place worth visiting, and has plenty of potential.
On Sunday, we strolled through the aquarium. The sun was shining. Volunteers were selling aquarium t-shirts outside. An ice cream truck was parked out front. And a steady of flow of adults and children streamed through the door to see the fish, turtles and frogs.
On Saturday, Aug. 16, the Belle Isle Aquarium will celebrate its 110th anniversary with games, arts and crafts and treats.
The aquarium is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
There's a sense of history as you walk in and see the grand view of the aquarium.
That's an interesting pattern. And you thought some of the fashion designers thought of it on their own.
Many of us had turtles as little kids. The turtles either escaped or their shells went soft and they passed away.
Not all the aquariums are filled with live creatures. Nonetheless, there's some cool art in some of them.
Yes, that's a catfish. Nice whiskers.
Beautiful tile work.
The outside view makes it clear this aquarium has been around for a long long time.
The kids appear mesmerized by the fish.
One thing more mesmerizing for some kids than fish: Cold ice cream on a warm summer day. The truck was parked out front.
