Before the Greater Cleveland Aquarium opened in the Flats in 2012, there was the Cleveland Aquarium. The latter opened February 6, 1954, and was located in Gordon Park. It closed to the public in June 1985 (due to structural and budget problems), with some exhibits moved to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

Photos courtesy of Cleveland Memory Project

Aquarist feeds electric eel at Cleveland Aquarium
Children view tanks at Cleveland Aquarium
City officials hold architect’s rendering of Cleveland Aquarium, 1965
Cleveland Aquarium under construction, 1966
Completed 6,500 gallon tanks at Cleveland Aquarium, 1966
Corridor under construction at Cleveland Aquarium, 1966
Crowds at Cleveland Aquarium
Dennis Goulden of Montage filming Cleveland Aquarium staff as they capture sea creatures from the Florida Keys for exhibit, 1974
Director Daniel Moreno at Cleveland Aquarium construction site, 1966
Electric eel demonstration at Cleveland Aquarium
Entrance lobby of Cleveland Aquarium, 1965
Exterior view of Cleveland Aquarium before renovation
Exterior view of Cleveland Aquarium, 1967
Mayor Ralph Locher [left, with his reflection], Cleveland Aquarium employee Gerrit Klay, and Locher’s wife Eleanor at the Cleveland Aquarium. 1967
New aquarium at Cleveland features a 60-foot-wide aquatic mural at the entrance, and an attractive, undulating moss green roof over the eight-sided main building.
Robert Fillous of Fillous & Ruppel 7411 Cedar Ave is completing wall panels for Cleveland Aquarium, 1966
Students from Hawken School perform groundswork outside Cleveland Aquarium, 1975
Tamela Brown, Rick Segedi (the aquarium worker), and Sophie DeBont pet a snake at the Cleveland Aquarium. 1965
The Cleveland Aquarium, exterior Entrance. 1986
Workers painting at Cleveland Aquarium

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