The Belle Isle Aquarium opened on 18 August 1904. According to the address given at the opening ceremony, when it opened it was the third largest aquarium in the world. When it opened it held a total of of water. The aquarium basement served as a
speakeasy during
Prohibition and later held large fish which no longer fit the Belle Isle Zoo's gallery tanks. Closed circuit television allowed remote viewing of these fish. The aquarium was slightly remodeled in the 1950s. Attendance was on a declining trend in the final decade of its first run: 113,000 visitors toured the aquarium in 1995, but only 56,000 in 2004. Although an extension was granted to the Friends of Belle Isle Aquarium to come up with a fund raising plan, the aquarium was closed on April 3, 2005. However, the vote was non-binding and the aquarium remained closed. In 2010, supporters of the aquarium were still trying to find donors to help defray the building's operating costs. The Aquarium now operates with free public admission, welcoming visitors Friday-Sunday from 10am - 4pm, thanks to community funding and the efforts of Belle Isle Conservancy. ==Animals==