Reptarium Reptarium + LegaSea Aquarium news and updates

SusScrofa

SusScrofa

Well-Known Member
This reptile-specialist facility near Detroit is planning on opening another facility across the street from their building called the LegaSea Aquarium. I've heard of this plan for a while now but there is no opening date as far as I'm aware. and the owner of Reptarium recently passed away from cancer which might also be a factor. With so few aquariums in Michigan compared to zoos (I can only think of one Sea Life and the tiny Belle Isle Aquarium) LegaSea could be a really popular attraction.

Also, has any zoochatter been to Reptarium? The photo gallery is empty and there are no threads so it doesn't seem many have visited. It is pretty close to Detroit Zoo and could make for a good combo if someone has the time. I'd love to check it out if I end up visiting Detroit this spring.
 
I've visited exactly 20 zoos in the state of Michigan and I'd never even heard of Reptarium. Thanks for this post @SusScrofa . According to their website, they are only open for 15 hours each week, and only Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Those extremely limited hours are interesting and I'd be intrigued to note this facility's annual attendance. I see that they have a Two-toed Sloth, a Capybara and a Six-banded Armadillo for animal experiences that cost extra.

The Reptarium - Visit Michigan's Brand New Reptile Zoo!

A major aquarium in Michigan makes perfect sense to me and I know that Detroit Zoo explored the idea of building a downtown aquarium at a cost of at least $150 million back in 2018, pre-pandemic. The plan was for an establishment that would attract a million annual visitors and, by comparison, the zoo receives 1.5 million visitors. I think that a modern, large aquarium would be a major hit in Michigan.
 
snowleopard said:
I've visited exactly 20 zoos in the state of Michigan and I'd never even heard of Reptarium. Thanks for this post @SusScrofa . According to their website, they are only open for 15 hours each week, and only Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Those extremely limited hours are interesting and I'd be intrigued to note this facility's annual attendance. I see that they have a Two-toed Sloth, a Capybara and a Six-banded Armadillo for animal experiences that cost extra.

The Reptarium - Visit Michigan's Brand New Reptile Zoo!

A major aquarium in Michigan makes perfect sense to me and I know that Detroit Zoo explored the idea of building a downtown aquarium at a cost of at least $150 million back in 2018, pre-pandemic. The plan was for an establishment that would attract a million annual visitors and, by comparison, the zoo receives 1.5 million visitors. I think that a modern, large aquarium would be a major hit in Michigan.
Click to expand...
It was owned by Brian Barczyk who was also a Youtube influencer, with over 5M subscribers. He recently died of cancer, as noted by the OP. I don't think that their opening hours were so restricted in the past, but I am really surprised to see how few hours they are open.

They also do a ton or reptile sales to the private trade.
 
USZOOfan42 said:
I just visited for the first time today and it was quite impressive. There were many rarities and crowd pleasers like sloths and this free roaming capybara.
Click to expand...
I don’t know if you are able to upload media at this point but have you taken any pictures of this place?
 
snowleopard said:
I've visited exactly 20 zoos in the state of Michigan and I'd never even heard of Reptarium. Thanks for this post @SusScrofa . According to their website, they are only open for 15 hours each week, and only Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Those extremely limited hours are interesting and I'd be intrigued to note this facility's annual attendance. I see that they have a Two-toed Sloth, a Capybara and a Six-banded Armadillo for animal experiences that cost extra.

The Reptarium - Visit Michigan's Brand New Reptile Zoo!

A major aquarium in Michigan makes perfect sense to me and I know that Detroit Zoo explored the idea of building a downtown aquarium at a cost of at least $150 million back in 2018, pre-pandemic. The plan was for an establishment that would attract a million annual visitors and, by comparison, the zoo receives 1.5 million visitors. I think that a modern, large aquarium would be a major hit in Michigan.
Click to expand...
The Legacy Aquarium building is currently being built so the reptarium is open Limited hours due to all of the staff building the Aquarium and slowly moving the reptiles over into the new enclosures as they get delivered. They're also setting up and aquascaping all of the new aquariums as they come in doing all of the new decor hand painting everything inside of the building and working with about 30 other companies that are coming in and helping make Brian's dream come true. His son Noah pretty much took over all of his duties on his YouTube channels and along with Brian's wife Lori they're making the aquarium from all of Brian's drawings over the past 20 years and all of the things he told them he wanted the aquarium to be so the reptarium is yes shut down to certain hours because they're trying to get the LegaSea done so that everyone can enjoy it and learn from it the way that Brian intended it to be. He dedicated his entire life to teaching people about reptiles fish and other small animals. As for the signage at the reptarium a bunch of it has been taken down to be moved over to the new reptarium side of the huge aquarium building it's going to house both the reptarium and Aquarium when it's done and the former reptarium will be used as a breeding center and kind of a Hospital Center for the reptiles and amphibians that are not on display at the new building. As far as fish that are at the aquarium right now only the koi outside in the ponds are at the aquarium. They just got in all of the large monitor Cayman and alligator enclosures there poison dart frog enclosures and a few others yesterday and the day before. You can go on Brian's YouTube channel that Noah is now running and there's daily content from the reptarium and on the building of the aquarium and how far it's going they're trying to get an open by Year's End. Anybody that ever met Brian Barczyk new how passionate he was about educating people about reptiles and fish and all the other little animals he loved and this is just his dream come true or coming true so I guess everybody has to be a little bit more patient while he's got his family and an army of people building his dream. I know I myself have supported the aquarium and supported his channel by subscribing to his channel his blogs purchasing t-shirts for the aquarium and The reptarium purchasing reptile Army t-shirts over the years wearing a 1 million wrist bracelet that people ask me about and I tell them they can buy one or they can donate to the building of the aquarium or they can just donate to a pancreatic cancer charity that I donate to because that's what took Brian from us. Sorry if this is a little bit long-winded but once I get talking about the reptarium and the aquarium they're very big causes in my heart and very big things I believe in my Facebook groups have a post every month on the anniversary of Brian's passing where we dedicate a whole day to him. I'm in Central Florida haven't had two strokes back in March so I won't get to go to the grand opening of the aquarium but hopefully next year when my health is better I'll be going up there to the aquarium I'll be going in October to Repticon and seeing Noah and
USZOOfan42 said:
Sadly not, there was not much signage and there is an hour slot to visit.
Click to expand...
 
SwampDonkey said:
It was owned by Brian Barczyk who was also a Youtube influencer, with over 5M subscribers. He recently died of cancer, as noted by the OP. I don't think that their opening hours were so restricted in the past, but I am really surprised to see how few hours they are open.

They also do a ton or reptile sales to the private trade.
Click to expand...
No their hours were not so restricted before Brian passed away. They are doing so now because they are building the aquarium and running the reptarium at the same time and also dealing with their grieving. His son Noah had to step up and take over the YouTube channel and take over everything that his dad used to do so it's been a huge challenge for everyone there but they're doing it amazingly.
 
Matt LaMay said:
No their hours were not so restricted before Brian passed away. They are doing so now because they are building the aquarium and running the reptarium at the same time and also dealing with their grieving. His son Noah had to step up and take over the YouTube channel and take over everything that his dad used to do so it's been a huge challenge for everyone there but they're doing it amazingly.
Click to expand...


They have had these hours since the pandemic. The zoo is a major loss leader for them but an absolutely irreplaceable backdrop and endless font of content for their channel.

As an experience, I know of no where else on Earth that promotes interaction like they do. You can hold an anaconda, feed a giant tortoise, and play with an armadillo simply by asking.
 
USZOOfan42 said:
The new aquarium has received around 1,500 fish for their new aquarium from the Florida Keys Aquarium Encounter. All exhibits are complete and id expect an opening date this spring.
Click to expand...

This is exciting. My only hope is that they are able to generate buzz that is worthy of something this great. The channel has been on a steady, noticeable decline when it should be ramping up.
 
After doing a bit of research, I think the facility is in a rough patch. At my local fish store, one of the workers who previously worked at that store was telling the owner something, asking if he could come back I think. They have dropped several employees and I think the son has posted something against them saying they refused to let him into the facility. I would love to hear more details but I think they won’t be good.
 
Yes, this all looks like it couldn't have come at a worse possible time. They just announced today that their videographer has been let go and it is abundantly clear as the quality of the videos has been atrocious. They look like they are edited on a phone with zero sound. A far departure from what they used to be.

More concerning, imo, has been the sudden and quantifiable loss of animals that has happened recently. The biggest retic gone within days of moving into their new enclosure. Fish and sharks passing fairly quickly once moved in. Loss is surely to be expected with so much acclimating happening at once, but it's hard not to think this is a lot.
 
RhinoTony said:
Yes, this all looks like it couldn't have come at a worse possible time. They just announced today that their videographer has been let go and it is abundantly clear as the quality of the videos has been atrocious. They look like they are edited on a phone with zero sound. A far departure from what they used to be.

More concerning, imo, has been the sudden and quantifiable loss of animals that has happened recently. The biggest retic gone within days of moving into their new enclosure. Fish and sharks passing fairly quickly once moved in. Loss is surely to be expected with so much acclimating happening at once, but it's hard not to think this is a lot.
Click to expand...
They’ve lost their main aquarist too, and I possibly believe 2 others. It’s crazy what is happening, I wonder what is going on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top