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.

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!

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

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!

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.

A must place to visit if your in the DThis is the oldest aquarium in the country.The tiled interior is just as much a sight to take in as the sea life is.Yes its small and nothing like the Shedd aquarium in Chicago. This has a unique, historic feel that everyone should experience.There is no fee to get inside but drop a few bucks into the box to help upkeep a piece of history.

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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!!

We were pleasantly surprised by how fun this place was. We are going to come back and enjoy more. My 17 year old and 3 year old really enjoyed themselves.

Free free free free free!!! Donations accepted!!! Cant beat that if looking for family/ budget friendly fun!

An amazing look at an early 20th century aquarium! Built in 1904, the integrity of the building has really been preserved.

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.

What a great day we had visiting visiting the aquarium. Volunteers were friendly and informative.

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!

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!

I loved being able to get close up photos of the different species housed here.

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!

Free - Family Fun. Took my younger nephews here for a fun free day out and had quite a good time.

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.

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.

This aquarium is beautiful. Belle Isle is a great destination for a family day trip, and while the fish on display might not be the most exotic- they are examples of the local great lakes biosphere- the aquarium provides information and a nice change of pace for parents who need a breather. The architecture is also beautiful! Thats to be expected from one of the oldest buildings of its kind on the continent, I suppose. One star off because when I went last year, the building was in slight disrepair, likely due to a lack of funding rather than a lack of care on the part of the workers. I would encourage the local/state government to make this a cultural heritage site so that the funding is made more of a priority.

Entertainment and education for the kids for free will always get 5 stars!

Free on the weekend. Really cool and Ive got to say Ive really learned some things

Its small and fun, entry is free, donation is welcomed to feed fish. Well maintained and friendly staff.

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.

Small but beautiful. The color glass ceiling is amazing. Nice variety of fish. FINALLY got their after having it on my bucket list for years. Did not disappoint!

Amazing aquarium on Bell Isle with spectacular green tile work in the ceiling and a good selection of aquatic life to view. Well worth an hours time with the family

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pretty cool. Took my grandson. Only thing I didnt like was no sharks.

Entry fee is free, donations are appreciated. Fun place to vist

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.

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!

Words cannot begin to describe what a wonderful day it was beautiful island

Free to the public, went here with my niece for the first time. She was so excited to see Dory and Nemo!

Theres this one person who keep using my pictures online without my consent or should I say its someone who protending to be me but in different name.

Great learning about all the fish from the great lakes. I highly recommend for a day out! Then go next door to the Conservatory to see all the beautiful plants & flowers!

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.

This a hidden opportunity for a FREE family adventure. It only takes the Michigan Parks Pass that we get added to our licence plates to get in. The aquarium itself was a pleasant hour of seeing different freshwater fish in beautiful surroundings. Nice family time.

Still as wonderful now as it was 22 years ago, please keep this open forever!

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.

Nice place. Great collection of variety of dishes. They do have some fish feeding timings. You can see one if you are lucky.

This was a very pretty place, I will definitely return .

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.

Like walking into the past. So cool and so much history right in Detroits backyard.

Love this Aquarium...Oldest one in the United States

Love this age-old green oasis in the middle of a cold winter! Warm fresh air to breathe and lovely plants to behold. A personal favorite of mine and my family.

Nice aquarium! Good amount of fish to see. Americas oldest aquarium statement. Clean and free. Worth checking out.

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.

Loved it! Nice size aquarium. Free. Would really recommend for families with kids.

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.

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.

Truly a treasure in Detroit. Wonderful for anyone who likes animals. Its free, but I suggest leaving a donation to keep this aquarium in great condition.

Great time but for first timers a map would be nice!

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.

Beautiful aquarium, like stepping back in time. This is must visit when you come to Detroit. The city is truly on the up swing for the first time in decades and Belle Isle is definitely a part of this resurgence. Well maintained, it is the jewel on the island. Classic Art Deco styling its like stepping back in time. Tons of fish to view, beautiful gardens and it’s free! Only issue is they do not have air conditioning so it can get very humid in the summer with only fans.

Best place for evening visit !!!

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.

A truly amazing restoration of the first aquarium in America! A jewel that shines brightly. I highly recommend everyone living or visiting the Detroit area to take a moment and enjoy this special venue.

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.

One of my favorite places. Love belle isle so much

Cant believe its free. Impressive fresh water exhibits.

Ive enjoyed the aquarium since a child. Although its small, it is a wonderful educational experience for all. Come and enjoy!!

Great historic opportunity in Detroit with Aquarium, Conservacy, beach, great hiking, canoeing etc.

Best time ever and we got to see Santa and Mrs Claus

A really neat place to go. They have a neat assortment of fish and facts. They work off of donations and have knowledgeable staff. Beautiful building.

Brilliant small aquarium that does more with its small footprint than most “nice” aquariums I have been to

This place was so cool. Nothing fancy here just a lot of nice volunteers and great selection of animals to observe

It was so hot in there but it was fun. I really liked the tile work on the ceiling and walls too. 5 stars if I hadnt been really uncomfortable from the heat

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.

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

Wonderful little aquarium on Belle Isle. Its small but free. The building is historic and very cool looking. Absolutely worth it if youre in the area.

Amazing building, inside and out.

Great location for a party

Glad its back open. Great times.

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.

Cool aquarium. With some TLC it could be something special.

It looks amazing from the outside and most of the tanks are very clean. I would recommend. Very friendly people.

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!

Amazing gem. Highly Suggest it

Very fun little aquarium. Many different fish from the Great Lakes and rivers around the world. Free admission too. Can’t bet the cost.

Cheap or free. Fun for kids!

I still Love this place.A lot of empty tanks, I miss all the different kinds of Trout & native fish like the giant garpike.

Glad to see this place coming back to life! Came here as a kid. Brings back good memories!

Glad they re-opened the Aquarium. Lots of good memories there.

Nice little Aquarium. Beautiful grounds. Loved the upside down jelly fish! Come visit the conservatory too. Gem of Detroit!

No downside to this trip. It’s FREE!!!And they do a great job here. It’s clean, fun, and informative. It won’t knock your socks off with tropical fish, but it does a great job showing off the local fish from the Great Lakes.It would be great to see a hands on display or a center display where the kids could feed some fish?

Its verry fun and has a lot of stuff to do. The aquarium was really cool and all the fish were really pretty.it was verry clean too. They also have a boat museum and its really hands on and I was waiting for some hands on for a while.this place is clean too and they have a cute little gift shop

It was very nice and clean! Very nice displays!

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.

Met a few interesting yet goofy friends.