The DNR manages the day to day operations of the park, including event bookings, infrastructure management, and environmental management. Today, the park continues to be owned by the City of Detroit and is managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) under a 30-year lease as part of the City’s financial restructuring. The park features a number of historic public landmarks including the Belle Isle Aquarium, Belle Isle Casino, Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and the James Scott Memorial Fountain.īelle Isle has a rich history that includes many changes in ownership and management over the last several hundred years. Throughout, the island was recognized as a unique natural site-one to be treasured by generations. Almost one third of the island is a natural wooded area that is home to a wide variety of small animals and birds.
Affectionately named the “Jewel of Detroit”, Belle Isle has significant natural, architectural, and cultural resources. Belle Isle Park is a 2.5-mile-long, 982-acre island park, located in the international waters of the Detroit River. Inspired by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted’s design in the 1880s, the park was created to provide an urban oasis in Detroit.
