Michigan Aquarium Named Most Beautiful in the Entire Country

Have you visited this Michigan gem? A national publication has found an aquarium in the Mitten State to be the most beautiful in the U.S.

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To determine the ranking, Aquarium Store Depot analyzed the number of Tripadvisor reviews that contained words such as "beautiful", "breathtaking", and "picturesque" for 175 public aquariums across America.

Each was then ranked based on the percentage of reviews containing these beauty keywords, to determine America’s most eye-catching aquariums.

The results?

Belle Isle Aquarium in Detroit, Mich., is America’s most beautiful aquarium, with 30.7% of visitor reviews referencing its beauty.

Did you know Belle Isle Aquarium is also the oldest in the U.S.? It first opened August 18, 1904, making it the oldest public aquarium in the country, and at the time, it was the third largest in the world.

According to the Detroit Historical Society, the aquarium was designed by architect Albert Kahn.

A carving of Neptune, the Roman God of the sea, greets visitors above the entrance, inviting guests into the long-domed ceding structure that houses of 50 tanks of aquatic life.

One of its most most eye-catching features is are the glass sea-green tiles that line the walls and ceiling, to give it an  “underwater” feeling.

Belle Isle Aquarium closed in 2005, due to budgetary constraints. Thankfully, Dedicated Friends of the Belle Isle Aquarium volunteers maintained the building until it reopened in 2012.

Since then, fundraising efforts have continued to improve the iconic Detroit landmark. Admission is free, but a suggested donation of $5 per visitor helps keep this community-funded facility open to the public.

A must-see is the koi ponds on the aquarium's grounds.

Next to the aquarium in Belle Isle Park is Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, another historic treasure.

The Conservatory is closed through mid-2024 for major renovations.