First opened on August 18, 1904, the Belle Isle Aquarium is the oldest public aquarium in the continental United States and, at the time of its opening, the third largest in the world.
Closed by the city in 2005 due to budgetary constraints, Dedicated Friends of the Belle Isle Aquarium volunteers maintained the building until its much-anticipated reopening on Sept. 15, 2012.
Extensive fundraising efforts, volunteer support and contributions from corporate partners over the past 12 years have contributed to the reopening and ongoing support to continue presenting visitors an opportunity to experience the wonder of the Great Lakes and waters of the world.
Comerica recently announced that with its assistance, which includes a $10,000 contribution, the aquarium will be open an extra day every week in August–and will be free to community members every Thursday with support from Comerica Bank.
“We’re grateful for this support from Comerica Bank and excited to provide families an extra day of enjoyment and learning before the summer is over,” said Meagan Elliott, Belle Isle Conservancy Chief Executive Officer. “And for those who have never been to the Belle Isle Aquarium, now is your chance to come see why it was recently ranked the most beautiful aquarium in America!”
Both Belle Isle Aquarium, preserved and managed by the Belle Isle Conservancy, and Comerica Bank celebrated August landmark birthdays. The Belle Isle Aquarium turned 120 years old on Aug.19, while reached 175 years old serving its customers and communities on Aug. 17. Comerica has celebrated with several special events including the opening of a time capsule back in June at its Michigan Headquarters located at 411 W. Lafayette in Detroit.
To celebrate the Aquarium’s birthday, the Belle Isle Conservancy hosted a special event on Sunday, Aug. 18, with family-friendly activities featuring bounce houses, crafts, and story time, as well as a hands-on dockside science activity to educate visitors about the freshwater ecosystem within Belle Isle’s canals.
Belle Isle Conservancy works closely with the State of Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources, the City of Detroit, and island partners to broker greater investment in the island’s capital and programmatic needs. In addition to operating the Belle Isle Aquarium, BIC leads island-wide volunteer stewardship, offers free educational programming, and serves as a voice of advocacy on behalf of all park users.
The mission of Belle Isle Conservancy is to protect, preserve, restore and enhance the natural environment, historic structures, and unique character of Belle Isle as a public park for the enjoyment of all – now and forever.
Designed by famed Detroit architect, Albert Kahn, the nation’s oldest aquarium has served Detroit for many generations. When it first opened 120 years ago, it featured salt water shipped directly from the ocean. Visitors today can experience a unique collection of fish, including one of the largest collections of air-breathing fish in the world.
The Belle Isle Aquarium houses the only known collection of all seven species of gar in North America
To further its support of Detroit magnificent island public park in the city, Comerica hosted a park cleanup for its Comerica Cares team of volunteers on Saturday, Aug. 10, to give back to the city and continue helping make Belle Isle the “Jewel of Detroit.”
“Comerica and the Belle Isle Aquarium have long served Detroit, and as we approach our own historic 175th anniversary we felt it fitting to support another notable institution that has given back so much to the city,” explained Steve Davis, Comerica Bank Michigan market President. “It’s crucial we uphold and preserve our natural surroundings and historical landmarks, ensuring our city thrives and that future generations can enjoy the park’s distinctive environment.”
The Belle Isle Aquarium is located at 3 Inselruhe Ave. in Detroit and open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday until Aug. 29. No tickets are required, but a $5 donation is encouraged.
Comerica’s commitment to the community is bolstered through direct support to transformative nonprofit organizations and by Comerica colleagues volunteering thousands of hours improving the communities where they both live and work. Since January 2019, Comerica Bank and the Comerica Charitable Foundation have contributed more than $49 million to philanthropic organizations in its markets, and Comerica colleagues have volunteered over 320,000 hours, which translates to more than $10.2 million worth of donated time.