How has it been 10 years already? About 1.5 weeks ago, it was a decade since I joined Zoochat. This site has introduced me to some new places I probably wouldn't have thought of either visiting, or suddenly gaining a new interest in. Through reading the many entertaining trip threads, looking at photos, and tuning in on various discussions, I've come to gain a new appreciation and expanded knowledge of the zoo and animal world. I would also like to give a special thanks to the Zoochatters I've come to know on here. It has been a great ride so far, and I look forward to much more in the future. 
Anywho, what better way to mark the occasion than with one of my reviews?
Review of the Reiman Aquarium
Reiman Aquarium | Discovery World
Beneath the Discovery World Museum in Milwaukee, WI, lies the Reiman Aquarium. Unfortunately, I could not find much on the history of the Aquarium. The only piece I can go off of is that the Museum opened in its current location on the shores of Lake Michigan in 2006; as such, the Aquarium more than likely opened that year at the earliest.
The Milwaukee County Zoo is often in the spotlight when it comes to animal attractions in Wisconsin’s largest city. This fairly unknown aquatic facility on the other hand seems to be mostly hidden in the shadows. In a way, it is understandable owing to both its limited size and collection, along with being in the midst of all the scientific and interactive exhibits of the Museum. However, there is some charm to it that did help make for a brief, yet interesting visit.
Great Lakes Future – This is one of the first areas that can be seen when entering the Museum. Although technically not considered part of the Aquarium, there are plenty of animal exhibits scattered around here, so I’ll go ahead and count it for this review. These enclosures range from reptile terrariums that are decent in size and naturalism with lots of mulch, logs, misters, and the occasional artificial plants; to fish tanks that are either average or small-sized for their occupants, with furnishings that vary depending on the particular tank. A good chunk of the species list includes: spiny softshell turtle, bluegill, bull snake, tiger salamander (didn’t see), Blanding’s turtle, and box turtle. However, the stand out feature in this complex is the educational components. The main focus is on the Great Lakes, with how they are all linked together, the human population’s connections and impact on them, and the natural history of the planet’s most abundant freshwater sources. I found the layout very fascinating, with a large model map laid out with actual pools of water in the shapes of the five lakes, and visitors finding not just living creatures tucked away, but various natural artifacts such as skulls (including a prehistoric beaver), and an interactive weather control area. On several occasions during my time here I saw rain showers, roaring thunderstorms, and rolling mists play out in a show of precipitation and flashing lights meant to represent lightning.
Lake Michigan Tank – The very first habitat one will see when going under the Aquarium’s entrance sign, and the premier attraction in my opinion. The primary species of interest would be the many lake sturgeon that reside here; it was pretty cool to watch these fish swim among the rocky crags, or slowly cruise past the windows. Alongside the sturgeon I also recall seeing channel catfish, gar, largemouth bass, Northern pike, and bigmouth buffalo. Speaking of the windows, primary viewing is provided twice with this complex. The first time is via small window at the top of the watery valley; however, it’s on the main Aquarium floor where the viewing shines. There are floor to ceiling windows that span almost the entire depth of the tank, with excellent views of the fish and a great overview of the exhibit. The only other comment I’d have is the tank would benefit from some vegetation to soften some of the lake bottom cliffs and offer more variety. Aside from that, this large tank serves as a solid first impression for this facility.
Great Lakes, North Atlantic, & Amazon Tanks – Although this trio of tanks would count on their own, I decided to lump them together because they are all very similar to one another in terms of presentation. Each of them has a very interesting design; while the wide bottom portion has most of the animals in the water, the narrower top half is mostly made to look scenic, with features like rocky alcoves, plants, and sometimes a pretty waterfall. It’s almost like looking at a gigantic chemical flask!
They do look nice, especially the Amazon with its mangrove roots penetrating the calm waters, however I feel that at times the tanks seemed a bit cramped with their narrow design. Another unique element is the viewing, in which parts of the visitor ramp are made up of glass floors; as a result, the fish can be seen swimming right below one’s feet. It’s a nice use of the limited space that does help give these tanks a little creative edge. Great Lakes includes bluegill, smallmouth bass, etc.; striped bass, snowy grouper, and more reside in the North Atlantic; and finally, the Amazon contains river stingrays and arowana as the highlights alongside other species (one of them being blood-red parrot cichlid).
Caribbean Tunnel – After the Lake Michigan Tank, this is the second-best complex in the Aquarium. Up first is a colorful reef tank with many fish species such as clownfish and yellowhead jawfish (a first for me). The main event, though, is a good-sized habitat that can be seen via a 360-degree underwater tunnel, and a large cylinder-like viewing bubble on one side of the tank. The exhibit itself is pretty nice, with coral reef-like cliffs and a sandy bottom to fill in this oceanic environment. Watching the two bamboo sharks slinking along the sea floor, triggerfish and goatfish swimming overhead, etc. made for an enjoyable “tropical getaway.”
Touch Tanks – There is a trio of small touch pools (surprisingly deeper than most I’ve come across) that allow one to get up close to various water dwellers. The first is home to stingrays; the tank next door contains lake sturgeon, but was closed off; and the third touch pool, which is a separate and more detailed rocky pool, seemed to hold a few types of invertebrates, but was also inaccessible to guests.
Weird & Wild – The final complex consists of a rather colorful corridor with an elevator on one end, and a set of stairs on the other – both of which take one back to the remainder of the Museum. One side of the hall offers up extensive signage on how these species adapt and thrive in the wild, such as camouflage and other survival adaptations. Opposite this is a series of smaller terrariums and tanks tucked into the wall. Although pretty basic in terms of size and presentation, they are mostly furnished with sandy floors, vegetation, and other elements like rocks and logs. There’s a nice variety of animals on offer, ranging from familiar faces like blue poison dart frog, red-bellied piranha, axolotl, archerfish, and red-tailed black shark; to some species I actually don’t recall seeing before such as rope eel reedfish, West African lungfish, clown loach, and pea pufferfish.
Other Exhibits – A few exhibits that aren’t a part of any complex can be found throughout the Aquarium. These include: a pretty moon jelly tank, a small cylinder-shaped exhibit for a single alligator snapping turtle by the Amazon, a small electric eel tank nestled between the Great Lakes and North Atlantic tanks, a rocky turtle habitat (species like red-eared slider and painted) with a large swimming area, and an African ball python resides in a decent terrarium near Weird & Wild.
NOTE – The only major exhibit complex that was closed to the public was Underwater Labs. From what I could tell, it appeared to be an education area designed like small submarines linked together.
Because the Reiman Aquarium is part of the Discovery World Museum, this section of the review will mostly reflect on the Museum in general. To start out, the Aquarium is mostly within the building’s basement, starting right after the Great Lakes Future complex, and descending the one-way ramp towards the main visitor area. It is pretty attractively laid out, with a sleek and modern look and vibrant signage all-around. One thing I liked about some of the complexes, especially the larger mixed-species tanks, were the signs that highlighted a particular animal, encouraging guests to linger and try to find them.
With the rest of Discovery World, which is situated in a long two-story building on the shores of Lake Michigan (an effective backdrop that ties nicely with Great Lakes Future by the way), there are several neat science exhibits to entertain families. Some highlights include a maritime section focusing on the Southeast Wisconsin region; a hall focusing on Les Paul and his musical and inventive life; lots of energy output and clean air displays; and my favorite of these was a display of Milwaukee’s water work cycle.
These are nicely done, and made for crowds of kids excited to play with the interactives, and intrigued guests eager to learn more. The only major amenities are an eatery (closed on my visit) and a small gift shop on the ground floor.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: Watching the yellow-headed jawfish proved to be fairly enjoyable. One fish was lingering amongst the reefs, while the other was popping in and out of its hole in the sand and rock, each time coming up with a pebble. It reminded me a bit of birds keeping their nests clean, or mammals tidying up their burrows as best as possible. Although it was only a brief viewing at the tank, it did make for the most amusing moment of my Aquarium visit, especially since it involved a species I don’t recall seeing before.
OVERALL: The best way I can describe this facility is that it’s the aquarium equivalent of Ochsner Park Zoo. Although Reiman does a nice job with what it has, especially with the Caribbean and Lake Michigan areas, the tiny size limits it in comparison with most others of its kind. Having said that, I do feel that it makes for a good aquarium to introduce small children to the world of aquatic wildlife, as it does cover a balance between interactive experiences and viewing, with some naturalistic representation. Aside from that, I’d only recommend a visit if one were to visit the Museum as well. While it might be a nice diversion for families, the miniature size of this facility (both exhibit and animal collection wise) makes it a challenge for animal fanatics to get the most out of it.
Anywho, what better way to mark the occasion than with one of my reviews?Review of the Reiman Aquarium
Reiman Aquarium | Discovery World
Beneath the Discovery World Museum in Milwaukee, WI, lies the Reiman Aquarium. Unfortunately, I could not find much on the history of the Aquarium. The only piece I can go off of is that the Museum opened in its current location on the shores of Lake Michigan in 2006; as such, the Aquarium more than likely opened that year at the earliest.
The Milwaukee County Zoo is often in the spotlight when it comes to animal attractions in Wisconsin’s largest city. This fairly unknown aquatic facility on the other hand seems to be mostly hidden in the shadows. In a way, it is understandable owing to both its limited size and collection, along with being in the midst of all the scientific and interactive exhibits of the Museum. However, there is some charm to it that did help make for a brief, yet interesting visit.
Animal Exhibit Complexes
Great Lakes Future – This is one of the first areas that can be seen when entering the Museum. Although technically not considered part of the Aquarium, there are plenty of animal exhibits scattered around here, so I’ll go ahead and count it for this review. These enclosures range from reptile terrariums that are decent in size and naturalism with lots of mulch, logs, misters, and the occasional artificial plants; to fish tanks that are either average or small-sized for their occupants, with furnishings that vary depending on the particular tank. A good chunk of the species list includes: spiny softshell turtle, bluegill, bull snake, tiger salamander (didn’t see), Blanding’s turtle, and box turtle. However, the stand out feature in this complex is the educational components. The main focus is on the Great Lakes, with how they are all linked together, the human population’s connections and impact on them, and the natural history of the planet’s most abundant freshwater sources. I found the layout very fascinating, with a large model map laid out with actual pools of water in the shapes of the five lakes, and visitors finding not just living creatures tucked away, but various natural artifacts such as skulls (including a prehistoric beaver), and an interactive weather control area. On several occasions during my time here I saw rain showers, roaring thunderstorms, and rolling mists play out in a show of precipitation and flashing lights meant to represent lightning.
Lake Michigan Tank – The very first habitat one will see when going under the Aquarium’s entrance sign, and the premier attraction in my opinion. The primary species of interest would be the many lake sturgeon that reside here; it was pretty cool to watch these fish swim among the rocky crags, or slowly cruise past the windows. Alongside the sturgeon I also recall seeing channel catfish, gar, largemouth bass, Northern pike, and bigmouth buffalo. Speaking of the windows, primary viewing is provided twice with this complex. The first time is via small window at the top of the watery valley; however, it’s on the main Aquarium floor where the viewing shines. There are floor to ceiling windows that span almost the entire depth of the tank, with excellent views of the fish and a great overview of the exhibit. The only other comment I’d have is the tank would benefit from some vegetation to soften some of the lake bottom cliffs and offer more variety. Aside from that, this large tank serves as a solid first impression for this facility.
Great Lakes, North Atlantic, & Amazon Tanks – Although this trio of tanks would count on their own, I decided to lump them together because they are all very similar to one another in terms of presentation. Each of them has a very interesting design; while the wide bottom portion has most of the animals in the water, the narrower top half is mostly made to look scenic, with features like rocky alcoves, plants, and sometimes a pretty waterfall. It’s almost like looking at a gigantic chemical flask!
They do look nice, especially the Amazon with its mangrove roots penetrating the calm waters, however I feel that at times the tanks seemed a bit cramped with their narrow design. Another unique element is the viewing, in which parts of the visitor ramp are made up of glass floors; as a result, the fish can be seen swimming right below one’s feet. It’s a nice use of the limited space that does help give these tanks a little creative edge. Great Lakes includes bluegill, smallmouth bass, etc.; striped bass, snowy grouper, and more reside in the North Atlantic; and finally, the Amazon contains river stingrays and arowana as the highlights alongside other species (one of them being blood-red parrot cichlid).Caribbean Tunnel – After the Lake Michigan Tank, this is the second-best complex in the Aquarium. Up first is a colorful reef tank with many fish species such as clownfish and yellowhead jawfish (a first for me). The main event, though, is a good-sized habitat that can be seen via a 360-degree underwater tunnel, and a large cylinder-like viewing bubble on one side of the tank. The exhibit itself is pretty nice, with coral reef-like cliffs and a sandy bottom to fill in this oceanic environment. Watching the two bamboo sharks slinking along the sea floor, triggerfish and goatfish swimming overhead, etc. made for an enjoyable “tropical getaway.”
Touch Tanks – There is a trio of small touch pools (surprisingly deeper than most I’ve come across) that allow one to get up close to various water dwellers. The first is home to stingrays; the tank next door contains lake sturgeon, but was closed off; and the third touch pool, which is a separate and more detailed rocky pool, seemed to hold a few types of invertebrates, but was also inaccessible to guests.
Weird & Wild – The final complex consists of a rather colorful corridor with an elevator on one end, and a set of stairs on the other – both of which take one back to the remainder of the Museum. One side of the hall offers up extensive signage on how these species adapt and thrive in the wild, such as camouflage and other survival adaptations. Opposite this is a series of smaller terrariums and tanks tucked into the wall. Although pretty basic in terms of size and presentation, they are mostly furnished with sandy floors, vegetation, and other elements like rocks and logs. There’s a nice variety of animals on offer, ranging from familiar faces like blue poison dart frog, red-bellied piranha, axolotl, archerfish, and red-tailed black shark; to some species I actually don’t recall seeing before such as rope eel reedfish, West African lungfish, clown loach, and pea pufferfish.
Other Exhibits – A few exhibits that aren’t a part of any complex can be found throughout the Aquarium. These include: a pretty moon jelly tank, a small cylinder-shaped exhibit for a single alligator snapping turtle by the Amazon, a small electric eel tank nestled between the Great Lakes and North Atlantic tanks, a rocky turtle habitat (species like red-eared slider and painted) with a large swimming area, and an African ball python resides in a decent terrarium near Weird & Wild.
NOTE – The only major exhibit complex that was closed to the public was Underwater Labs. From what I could tell, it appeared to be an education area designed like small submarines linked together.
Visitor Experiences
Because the Reiman Aquarium is part of the Discovery World Museum, this section of the review will mostly reflect on the Museum in general. To start out, the Aquarium is mostly within the building’s basement, starting right after the Great Lakes Future complex, and descending the one-way ramp towards the main visitor area. It is pretty attractively laid out, with a sleek and modern look and vibrant signage all-around. One thing I liked about some of the complexes, especially the larger mixed-species tanks, were the signs that highlighted a particular animal, encouraging guests to linger and try to find them.
With the rest of Discovery World, which is situated in a long two-story building on the shores of Lake Michigan (an effective backdrop that ties nicely with Great Lakes Future by the way), there are several neat science exhibits to entertain families. Some highlights include a maritime section focusing on the Southeast Wisconsin region; a hall focusing on Les Paul and his musical and inventive life; lots of energy output and clean air displays; and my favorite of these was a display of Milwaukee’s water work cycle.
These are nicely done, and made for crowds of kids excited to play with the interactives, and intrigued guests eager to learn more. The only major amenities are an eatery (closed on my visit) and a small gift shop on the ground floor.HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: Watching the yellow-headed jawfish proved to be fairly enjoyable. One fish was lingering amongst the reefs, while the other was popping in and out of its hole in the sand and rock, each time coming up with a pebble. It reminded me a bit of birds keeping their nests clean, or mammals tidying up their burrows as best as possible. Although it was only a brief viewing at the tank, it did make for the most amusing moment of my Aquarium visit, especially since it involved a species I don’t recall seeing before.
OVERALL: The best way I can describe this facility is that it’s the aquarium equivalent of Ochsner Park Zoo. Although Reiman does a nice job with what it has, especially with the Caribbean and Lake Michigan areas, the tiny size limits it in comparison with most others of its kind. Having said that, I do feel that it makes for a good aquarium to introduce small children to the world of aquatic wildlife, as it does cover a balance between interactive experiences and viewing, with some naturalistic representation. Aside from that, I’d only recommend a visit if one were to visit the Museum as well. While it might be a nice diversion for families, the miniature size of this facility (both exhibit and animal collection wise) makes it a challenge for animal fanatics to get the most out of it.
