Some cultural institutions waited out the pandemic quietly. Detroit’s Belle Isle Aquarium and the Belle Isle Conservancy used the downtime to dive into an extensive renovation of the historic structure.
“Renovating an aquarium involves closing tanks, which nobody likes,” says Amanda Murray, senior aquarist of the Belle Isle Aquarium. “During the pandemic we could do that and not feel bad.”
At nearly 120 years old, the Belle Isle Aquarium — which opened in 1904 as the world’s third-largest aquarium — needed attention.
Detroit architect Albert Kahn designed the Beaux Arts building with vaulted ceilings and skylights that resembled submarine hatches. He covered the walls and ceilings with opaline green glass tiles, all of which gave guests the illusion of being underwater. Fish tanks were set in the walls, like windows on a marine world, and saltwater tanks were filled with seawater delivered via rail cars from the Atlantic Ocean.
Over the years, the aquarium, which now ranks as the nation’s oldest, updated its tanks, improved its water filtration systems, and underwent thorough cleanings to return the sparkle to ceiling tiles that had grown dingy. But nothing compared to the renovations taken on during its COVID-era shutdown.
Beginning in March 2020, the Belle Isle Conservancy began a 16-month, $1.2-million improvement project that added 21st-century water filters, replaced leaky glass, and added aquatic plants to tanks. They also combined smaller tanks to make larger spaces for species that had outgrown their habitats.
Behind-the-scenes updates enhanced animal care facilities, and a new medical lab was installed for ailing aquatic creatures. The public’s favorite improvement was the addition of three axolotls (salamanders).
Murray anticipates the installation of the aquarium’s first AC unit by the end of 2024, and its fish food prep area should be completed soon thereafter. There’s even talk of restoring the aquarium’s Prohibition-era basement speakeasy if funds become available.
Murray says improving the quality of life for the residents is no small task.
“We want to be very deliberate about the kinds of habitats we place our animals in,” Murray says. “They’re living their lives in this aquarium, and we want those lives to be healthy and happy ones.”
Plan It!
Belle Isle Aquarium
belleisleconservancy.org/bia
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