Global InformationList of Whaling Walls information
This is a list of Whaling Walls, which are large outdoor murals by the American artist Robert Wyland (b. 1956), featuring images of life-size gray whales, breaching humpback whales, blue whales, and other sea life. Whaling Walls (a pun on the Wailing Wall) are created by invitation of the communities, institutions, and building owners of the structures on which they are painted. His first mural was created in 1981, and Wyland's 100th Whaling Wall was painted in Beijing in 2008.[1]
| WW index[2] | Name | Location | Dedicated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Gray Whale and Calf | 509 Pacific Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, California | July 9, 1981 | Painted over in 1996; painted ceramic tile mural made in 1996; wall-mounted painted mural-on-canvas in 2019[3][4] |
| 02 | Young Gray Whale | Ocean Institute, San Clemente, California | March 20, 1982 | Relocated to Concordia Elementary School, San Clemente. |
| 03 | Spyhopping | Marineland of the Pacific, Rancho Palos Verdes, California | June 27, 1984 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 04 | The Gray Whale Family | 15248 Russell Avenue, White Rock, British Columbia, Canada | September 26, 1984 | Recently restored; will remain as a façade following demolition of the original building. |
| 05 | The Orcas of Puget Sound | Edgewater Hotel
2411 Alaskan Way Seattle, Washington |
November 10, 1985 | Original was painted over in 1995, repainted in same location in 2019[6] |
| 06 | Hawaiian Humpbacks | repainted at 3049 Ualena Street, Honolulu, Hawaii | April 21, 1985 | Original wall is EXTINCT.[5] A recreation was done at the Pacific Airport Center opposite WW85 |
| 07 | California Gray Whales | Del Mar, California | July 6, 1985 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 08 | Orcas | 1170 Melville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | September 10, 1985 | Mostly covered by new constructions. Whales no longer visible |
| 09 | First Voyage | Polynesian Cultural Center Oahu, Hawaii | February 4, 1986 | EXTINCT,[5] torn down during Gateway kitchen renovations |
| 10 | Manatees | Orlando International Airport Orlando, Florida | 1986 | Terminal A. Prior to security gates. |
| 11 | First Born | Renaissance Orlando Resort 6677 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida | September 26, 1986 | Moved from SeaWorld. In hotel lobby. |
| 12 | Laguna Coast | 2171 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, California | February 2, 1987 | Tiled 1996. |
| 13 | A-5 Pod | 1250 Wharf Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada | June 20, 1987 | Decaying and faded, but still alive for now. As of June 2020, there are plans by the new owners of the building to turn it into a boutique hotel, so the future of the mural may be in jeopardy. |
| 14 | Sperm Whales | Funabashi, Japan | October 14, 1987 | |
| 15 | Dolphins of Makapuu Point | Sealife Park, Oahu, Hawaii | 1988 | |
| 16 | Orcas off Point Loma | Belmont Park Plunge pool
San Diego, California |
June 29, 1989 | EXTINCT;[5] removed during renovation in 2017[7] |
| 17 | Bottlenose Dolphins | Stored in Osaka, Japan | August 27, 1989 | done for a 24-hour televised telethon in Tokyo, Japan |
| 18 | Sperm Whales of the Mediterranean | Nice, France | October 1989 | |
| 19 | Forbidden Reef | San Diego, California | July 9, 1990 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 20 | Gray Whale Migration | San Diego, California | July 9, 1990 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 21 | Washington Orcas | 928 A Street,
Tacoma, Washington |
July 1990 | |
| 22 | Orca Heaven | Yamagata, Japan | 1990 | A ceiling mural. |
| 23 | Bundaberg Humpback Family | Bundaberg, Australia | September 28, 1990 | |
| 24 | Humpback and Calf | Sydney, Australia | September 28, 1990 | |
| 25 | Humpbacks | Lamphere High School, Madison Heights, Michigan | October 8, 1990 | |
| 26 | Sperm Whales & Florida Keys Reef | Marathon, Florida | October 30, 1990 | EXTINCT[5] repainted as Whaling Wall 87 |
| 27 | Minke Whales | 5550 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, Florida | October 30, 1990 | In the Crane Point Museum and Nature Center |
| 28 | A Time for Conservation | 4-831 Kuhio Highway, Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii | January 8, 1991 | |
| 29 | Humpbacks off the Pali Coast | 4-831 Kuhio Highway, Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii | January 8, 1991 | |
| 30 | Maui Humpback Breaching | Lahaina, Hawaii | January 21, 1991 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 31 | Gray Whale Migration | Redondo Beach, California | June 24, 1991 | |
| 32 | Whales | Taiji, Japan | August 1991 | |
| 33 | Planet Ocean | Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California | July 9, 1992 | Was the largest mural in the world at that time[8] |
| 34 | Ocean Biosphere | Oracle, Arizona | April 18, 1993 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 35 | Orcas of the Oregon Coast | Portland, Oregon | May 9, 1993 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 36 | Whales off the Coast of Maine | Portland, Maine | June 7, 1993 | |
| 37 | Isle of Shoals Humpbacks | Portsmouth, New Hampshire | June 14, 1993 | Wall demolished, September 20, 2021. Robert Bendetson of Cabot House Furniture refuses to allow restoration.[9] |
| 38 | Stellwagen Bank | 33 Traveler Street, Boston, Massachusetts | June 21, 1993 | EXTINCT;[5] Painted over in 1999 with a killer whale scene by Ron Deziel. |
| 39 | Finback Whales | Providence, Rhode Island | June 28, 1993 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 40 | Inner City Whales | Port Authority Bus Terminal 41 Street Underpass, New York City | July 5, 1993 | |
| 41 | The Great Sperm Whales | Eugene O'Neill Dr. & State Street, New London, Connecticut | July 12, 1993 | Repainted 2006 by David Bishop of Mystic, CT,(WCRC)and any damage repaired each year by Whaling City Restoration Committee. #41 is complete as originally painted in 1993. Photos at www.whalingcityrestoration.com. |
| 42 | East Coast Humpbacks | 2400 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | July 19, 1993 | EXTINCT[5] Torn down for renovations to Aramark Headquarters building.[10] |
| 43 | Humpbacks off the Jersey Coast | 3800 Boardwalk Mall Wildwood, New Jersey | July 26, 1993 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 44 | Delaware Marine Mammals | 117 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware | August 2, 1993 | |
| 45 | Dolphins-Small Tooth Whales | 3000 Connecticut Ave. N.W, Washington, D.C. | August 9, 1993 | |
| 46 | Extinct Atlantic Gray Whales | 600 W. Hamburg St., Baltimore, Maryland | August 16, 1993 | Repainted in 2014 by Shawn James and Charles Lawrance of Mural Masters, Inc. of Baltimore, MD. |
| 47 | Humpbacks off the Virginia Coast | 999 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, Virginia | August 23, 1993 | |
| 48 | Coastal Dolphins | Wilmington, North Carolina | August 30, 1993 | |
| 49 | Right Whales off the South Carolina Coast | 2101 North Oak Street, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | September 6, 1993 | |
| 50 | Atlanta's Right Whales | 90 Central Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia | September 16, 1993 | EXTINCT[5] Paint removed pursuant to building renovation[11] |
| 51 | Florida's Dolphins | Mote Marine Lab
1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, Florida |
September 20, 1993 | |
| 52 | Florida's Living Reef | Waterfront Brewery,
201 William Street, Key West, Florida |
September 27, 1993 | |
| 53 | Orcas off the Gulf of Mexico | South Padre Island, Texas | March 14, 1994 |
Repainted by Andell prior to 2024. One wall retains original subject while second wall now has dolphins instead of whales |
| 54 | Alaska's Marine Life | 406 W. 5th Ave., Anchorage, Alaska | August 8, 1994 | |
| 55 | Orcas A-30 Subpod | Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | August 15, 1994 | EXTINCT;[5] Completely painted over on June 20, 2017. Reports of the aquarium designer didn't like it and thought it didn't fit in the new west coast theme.[citation needed] |
| 56 | Vancouver Island Orcas | 1390 Granville, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | August 15, 1994 | Restored for the Vancouver Olympics. EXTINCT[5] after building demolition in 2015[12] |
| 57 | Leap of Faith | Seattle, Washington | August 22, 1994 | EXTINCT[5] in 2011 |
| 58 | Orcas off the San Juan Islands | Seattle, Washington | August 22, 1994 | EXTINCT[5] in 2011 |
| 59 | Gray Whales off Oregon Coast | Newport, Oregon | August 29, 1994 | |
| 60 | Spyhopping Gray Whale | San Francisco, California | September 5, 1994 | Across from Pier 39 |
| 61 | Grays off the San Francisco Coast | San Francisco, California | September 5, 1994 | Between Pier 39 and Aquarium |
| 62 | Celebrating Gray Whales | Hollywood, California | September 12, 1994 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 63 | Life Size Blue Whales | Hollywood, California | September 12, 1994 | |
| 64 | San Diego Migration | San Diego, California | September 19, 1994 | Visible only from an adjacent apartment building, on their pool deck. |
| 65 | Friendly Grays of San Ignacio | Mexico City, Mexico | September 26, 1994 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 66 | Free Keiko | Mexico City, Mexico | September 26, 1994 | EXTINCT[5] part of an agreement to free Keiko (Free Willy) |
| 67 | Earth Day Hawaii | Honolulu, Hawaii | April 22, 1995 | |
| 68 | Pacific Realm | Laguna Beach, California | November 6, 1996 | Ceiling |
| 69 | The Blues Whales | New Orleans, Louisiana | May 3, 1997 | |
| 70 | Heavenly Waters | Redpath Sugar Refinery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada | September 1, 1997 | The mural is located on the north wall of the sugar shed. It is viewable from Queens Quay. |
| 71 | Our Ocean Family | Apple Valley, Minnesota | September 8, 1997 | |
| 72 | Whale Commuters | Milwaukee County Courthouse Annex, over northbound lanes of I-43, Milwaukee, Wisconsin | September 15, 1997 | Mural demolished May 3, 2006 during removal of Courthouse Annex and Marquette Interchange reconstruction; small portions of mural with adult & baby dolphin and "Wyland" signature installed at northern portal of the Kilbourn Tunnel at I-43 Northbound in February 2007 |
| 73 | The Windy Whales | Chicago, Illinois | September 22, 1997 | New construction has covered all but a sliver of wall. Signature still visible but not much else. |
| 74 | Orcas Passage | Indianapolis, Indiana | September 29, 1997 | |
| 75 | Song of the Whales | Cleveland, Ohio | October 6, 1997. | Restoration completed and wall rededicated October 4, 2019[13] |
| 76 | Whale Tower | Broderick Tower, Detroit, Michigan | October 13, 1997 | Still intact. Was covered by lighted advertising during the 2006 World Series and infrequently afterward, but was eventually re-exposed to public view. The mural will not be maintained by the newly renovated Broderick Tower apartments and will fade naturally.[14] |
| 77 | Eye of the Whale | Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada | October 21, 1997 | EXTINCT[5] |
| 78 | Florida's Marine Life | Macy's Department Store, 22 East Flagler St., Miami, Florida | May 4, 1998 | On SE 1st Street side of building |
| 79 | Santa Monica's Marine Life | Santa Monica, California | August 25, 1998 | EXTINCT[5] as of Jan-2012 |
| 80 | World of Ocean Life | 2275 S 300 W Salt Lake City, Utah 84115 | September 7, 1998 | |
| 81 | Atlantic Humpback Whales | The Aquarium of Niagara, Niagara Falls, New York | September 29, 1998 | |
| 82 | Ocean Life | 505 N. Akard Street, Dallas, Texas | April 16, 1999 | |
| 83 | Race to Save the Ocean | San Diego, California | June 12, 1999 | Two sides of the racing hull painted on the yacht Abracadabra competed in the 2000 America's Cup Race in Hawaii. Abracadabra currently at Maritime Museum of San Diego. |
| 84 | New Zealand Marine Life | New Zealand National Maritime Museum, Auckland, New Zealand | October 15, 1999 | EXTINCT[5][15] |
| 85 | New Millennium | Pacifica Airport Center, 3049 Ualena Street, Honolulu, Hawaii | December 15, 1999 | Re-creation of Whaling Wall 6 |
| 86 | Manatee Sanctuary | 4150 South Suncoast Blvd, Homosassa Springs, Florida | October 23, 2000 | Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park Visitor Center building |
| 87 | Florida's Radiant Reef | 5551 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, Florida | March 9, 2001 | Painted over WW 26. Restored by Wyland in 2022 [16] |
| 88 | Marine Life of the Gulf | 690 Regatta Bay Drive, Destin, Florida | October 17, 2001 | Touched up in 2015 |
| 89 | Humpback Realm | NAVY Exchange, 4725 Bougainville Drive, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii | December 2002 | |
| 90 | Palau's Blue Corner | International Airport, Palau | February 2003 | Companion mural at the Etpison Museum |
| 91 | Guam's Ocean Life | Guam International Airport, Hagatna, Guam | February 19, 2004 | |
| 92 | Baja Tranquility | La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico | August 8, 2005 | |
| 93 | Great Whales of New Bedford | West Terminal, Maritime Terminal Inc., MacArthur Drive, New Bedford, Massachusetts | October 20, 2005 | |
| 94 | Ride the Tide | Del Mar, California | June 24, 2006 | |
| 95 | Keys to the Seas | Scuba-Fun, 99222 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, Florida | February 12, 2007 | |
| 96 | Riches of the Ocean | Pago Pago, American Samoa | April 12, 2008 | |
| 97 | Sea of Life | Plymouth, Devon | May 10, 2008 | National Marine Aquarium |
| 98 | Celebrating the Reef | Santos, Brazil | May 17, 2008 | Santos Municipal Aquarium |
| 99 | Water for Life | North Lauderdale, Florida | June 14, 2008 | McNab Road |
| 100 | Hands Across the Oceans | Beijing, China | June 14, 2008 | 2008 Beijing (Green) Olympics; Panels presented in Washington DC, September 30, 2008; in storage |
- ^ "Wyland to Paint 100th Whaling Wall Mural in Beijing". NBC New York. July 24, 2008. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- ^ "Whaling Walls". Wyland Foundation. Retrieved 2010-02-12.
- ^ "The Whaling Wall" (1996, 2019) by Wyland". Public Art in Public Places. August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- ^ Jarrell, Allison (2019-07-20). "Wyland Resurrects Original Whaling Wall in Laguna". Laguna Beach Local News. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z EXTINCT indicates that the mural is no longer accessible. It may have been covered, destroyed, or significantly altered.
- ^ "Orcas swim again on Seattle's Edgewater Hotel, thanks to artist Wyland". The Seattle Times. 2019-07-26. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
- ^ "Plunge pool to reopen at Belmont Park". KGTV. 2019-06-29. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
- ^ "Where's Wyland? Iconic, massive marine artwork is easy to spot along Southern California coast". Orange County Register. 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
- ^ Choate, David "Whaling Wall endangered" Sept 14 2010, Seacoast Online
- ^ "End of an era approaches as 'Whaling Wall' mural makes way for Aramark HQ". Philly Voice. 12 March 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
- ^ Stafford, Leon (1 October 2010). "Downtown Atlanta 'whale wall' to sleep with the fishes". ajc.com. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
- ^ "It's DESTROY VANCOUVER!! time: Whale mural demolished". Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly. 2015-01-26. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
- ^ "Re-dedication ceremony for Cleveland's popular 'whale wall'". October 2019.
- ^ "Detroit Whales' Fate: To Fade Away". HuffPost. 23 July 2012.
- ^ "Wailing wall". The Aucklander. 2010-04-28. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
- ^ https://keysweekly.com/42/in-pictures-wyland-restores-landmark-mural-in-marathon/