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.
WW index Name Location Dedicated Comments 01 Gray Whale and Calf 509 Pacific Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, California, USA 1981-07-09 2025: Canvas damaged in Santa Ana wind event; repainted on wall
2019: Mural recreated with painted ceramic tile and canvas
1996: Building owner painted over mural 02 Young Gray Whale San Clemente, California, USA 1982-03-20 2010: Salvaged mural relocated to Concordia Elementary School, San Clemente
2005: Original location (Orange County Marine Institute) was demolished; mural was removed and framed in pieces 03 Spyhopping Marineland of the Pacific, Rancho Palos Verdes, California, USA 1984-06-27 EXTINCT (2006): Building demolished; it had been closed since 1987 04 The Gray Whale Family White Rock, British Columbia, Canada 1984-09-26 2014: Cleaned and damaged areas touched up by local artist Elizabeth Hollick
2007: Restored by Wyland 05 The Orcas of Puget Sound Edgewater Hotel, 2411 Alaskan Way, Seattle, Washington, USA 1985-11-10 2019: Wyland repainted mural at same location
1995: Building owner painted over mural 06 Hawaiian Humpbacks Pacifica Airport Center, 3049 Ualena Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA 1985-04-21 2017: After legal dispute about needed building repairs and mural ownership, Wyland repainted mural with changes to the original design 07 California Gray Whales Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar, California, USA 1985-07-06 EXTINCT (2006): Fairground building was replaced with a new building and Wyland painted a new mural for it (Whaling Wall #94). 08 Orcas 1170 Melville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 1985-09-10 EXTINCT (1997): Condo was built adjacent to the mural, hiding the mural from street view 09 First Voyage Polynesian Cultural Center, Oahu, Hawaii, USA 1986-02-04 EXTINCT (1996): Building was moved during renovations, and the mural could not be preserved 10 Manatees Terminal A, Orlando International Airport, Orlando, Florida, USA 1986 Oil on canvas painting of manatees, located prior to security gates 11 First Born Renaissance Orlando Resort, 6677 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida, USA 1986-09-26 1989 or earlier: Moved from original location at SeaWorld to Stouffer Orlando Resort (now Renaissance) 12 Laguna Coast 2171 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, California, USA 1987-02-02 2021: Dispute with building owner about removing the tiles
1996: Recreated in painted tiles to be moveable (it was on a building Wyland rented for a gallery) 13 A-5 Pod 1250 Wharf Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 1987-06-20 2024: Decaying and faded; Wyland proposed restoring it and the building owners hope to preserve ithttps://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/victoria-bc-whale-mural-redevelopment 14 Sperm Whales Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, Japan 1987-10-14 15 Dolphins of Makapuu Point Sea Life Park Hawaii, Oahu, Hawaii, USA 1988 16 Orcas off Point Loma Belmont Park plunge pool, San Diego, California, USA 1989-06-29 EXTINCT (2017): Removed during renovation 17 Bottlenose Dolphins Painted at Shinjuku Station in Tokyo during a live broadcast of the 24 Hour Television: Love Saves The Earth telethon 1989-08-27 Stored in Osaka, Japan 18 Sperm Whales of the Mediterranean (La fresque des Cachalots) 186 Av. Robert Surcouf St-Laurent-du-Var, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France 1989-10 2015: Building masonry renovated and mural restored 19 Forbidden Reef San Diego, California, USA 1990-07-09 EXTINCT 20 Gray Whale Migration San Diego, California, USA 1990-07-09 EXTINCT 21 Washington Orcas 928 A Street, Tacoma, Washington, USA 1990-07 22 Orca Heaven Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan 1990 A ceiling mural 23 Bundaberg Humpback Family 142 Bourbong St, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia 1990-09-28 24 Humpback and Calf Sydney Aquarium, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1990-09-28 25 Humpbacks Lamphere High School, Madison Heights, Michigan, USA 1990-10-08 26 Sperm Whales & Florida Keys Reef 5561 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, Florida, USA 1990-10-30 EXTINCT (2001): Wyland painted a new mural (Whaling Wall 87, Florida's Radiant Reef) over this one. 27 Minke Whales Crane Point Museum and Nature Center, 5550 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, Florida, USA 1990-10-30 28 A Time for Conservation Clock tower at Kauai Village Shopping Center, 4-831 Kuhio Highway, Kapaʻa, Hawaii, USA 1991-01-08 2017: Wyland repainted mural after tower was repaired. 29 Humpbacks off the Pali Coast Kauai Village Shopping Center facing Kuhio Highway, 4-831 Kuhio Highway, Kapaʻa, Hawaii, USA 1991-01-08 2017: Wyland repainted after mural was removed during renovations, but with whales swimming in the opposite direction 30 Maui Humpback Breaching Lahaina, Hawaii, USA 1991-01-21 EXTINCT (1992): City council requested he remove the mural; it was painted on wood planks, which are now stored in a warehouse 31 Gray Whale Migration 1100 N. Harbor Dr., Redondo Beach, California, USA 1991-06-24 2026: Property was sold to a developer, and the property's future use, including the mural's future, is being contested
2011: Wyland restored the mural 32 Whales Taiji Whale Museum, Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan 1991-08 EXTINCT (2013 or earlier): Mural was painted over 33 Planet Ocean Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, USA 1992-07-09 2009: Wyland restored the wall mural, and added a new mural to the roof of the arena (Earth: The Blue Planet)
Was the largest mural in the world when first painted 34 Ocean Biosphere Biosphere 2, Oracle, Arizona, USA 1993-04-18 EXTINCT 35 Orcas of the Oregon Coast Fox Theatre, SW Park at SW Taylor, Portland, Oregon, USA 1993-05-09 EXTINCT (1997): Entire block of buildings was demolished to make way for Fox Tower 36 Whales off the Coast of Maine Maine State Pier, Portland, Maine, USA 1993-06-07 37 Isle of Shoals Humpbacks 64 Vaughan Mall at Hanover St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA 1993-06-14 EXTINCT (2021): The wall's brick behind the mural was degrading; the building was demolished and the mural could not be saved
2007: Volunteer group that restored Whaling Wall #41 in New London, Connecticut, offered to help restore this mural, but Portsmouth residents did not express interest 38 Stellwagen Bank 33 Traveler Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 1993-06-21 EXTINCT (1999): Building's decaying brick facade was covered with aluminum siding and a new whale scene was painted by Ron Deziel 39 Finback Whales 145 Crary St., Providence, Rhode Island, USA 1993-06-28 EXTINCT (2000): Building was demolished during the relocation of Interstate 95 40 Inner City Whales Port Authority Bus Terminal, 41st Street Underpass, New York City, New York, USA 1993-07-05 41 The Great Sperm Whales Eugene O'Neill Dr. & State Street, New London, Connecticut, USA 1993-07-12 2023: Repainted by Wyland, with a new giant red squid
2006–2013: Mural was retouched by hand every year, by local artists David Bishop and Norm Johnson
2006: Repainted by local artists 42 East Coast Humpbacks 2400 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 1993-07-19 EXTINCT (2017): Torn down as part of renovations to Aramark global headquarters building 43 Humpbacks off the Jersey Coast 3800 Boardwalk Mall, Wildwood, New Jersey, USA 1993-07-26 EXTINCT (2018): Wall repairs and power-washing removed much of the mural and it could not be saved 44 Delaware Marine Mammals 117 N. Market St., Wilmington, Delaware, USA 1993-08-02 45 Dolphins-Small Tooth Whales Entrance to the Visitors Center, Smithsonian National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C., USA 1993-08-09 EXTINCT (2023): Wyland painted a new mural over this one, focusing on corals and fishes of Lanai. 46 Extinct Atlantic Gray Whales 600 W. Hamburg St., Baltimore, Maryland, USA 1993-08-16 2014: Restored by local artists Shawn James and Charles Lawrance of Mural Masters, Inc. 47 Humpbacks off the Virginia Coast 999 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, Virginia, USA 1993-08-23 48 Coastal Dolphins Coastline Inn, 503 Nutt St., Wilmington, North Carolina, USA 1993-08-30 49 Right Whales off the South Carolina Coast Myrtle Beach Convention Center, 2101 North Oak Street, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA 1993-09-06 2018: Restored by local artist Tommy Simpson 50 Atlanta's Right Whales 90 Central Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia, USA 1993-09-16 EXTINCT (2010): Removed to make needed concrete repairs to the building 51 Florida's Dolphins Mote Marine Laboratory Aquarium, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, Florida, USA 1993-09-20 EXTINCT (2025): Aquarium closed to the public 52 Florida's Living Reef 201 William Street, Key West, Florida, USA 1993-09-27 2022: Wyland repainted the mural 53 Orcas off the Gulf of Mexico South Padre Island Convention Centre, 7355 Padre Boulevard, South Padre Island, Texas, USA 1994-03-14 2002: Repainted several times, starting in 2002, by Harlingen, Texas, artist Angel Hernandez who has done many new murals in the Rio Grande Valley area as well as repainting historic ones; work was done with Wyland's approval and no changes to the original design 54 Alaska's Marine Life 406 W. 5th Ave., Anchorage, Alaska, USA 1994-08-08 55 Orcas A-30 Subpod Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 1994-08-15 EXTINCT (2017): Painted over 56 Vancouver Island Orcas 1390 Granville, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 1994-08-15 EXTINCT (2015): Building demolished
2010: Restored for the Vancouver Olympics 57 Leap of Faith 2224 Eighth Ave., Seattle, Washington, USA 1994-08-22 EXTINCT (2011): Mural was painted over, hotel was renovated for a 2012 rebranding
Whaling Wall #57 and #58 were painted on the same building on the same day. 58 Orcas off the San Juan Islands 2224 Eighth Ave., Seattle, Washington, USA 1994-08-22 EXTINCT (2011): Mural was painted over, hotel was renovated for a 2012 rebranding
Whaling Wall #57 and #58 were painted on the same building on the same day. 59 Gray Whales off Oregon Coast 617 SW Bay Blvd., Newport, Oregon, USA 1994-08-29 60 Spyhopping Gray Whale Pier 39 Public Parking garage, 172 Beach St. at The Embarcadero, San Francisco, California, USA 1994-09-05 61 Grays off the San Francisco Coast Pier 39, next to Aquarium of the Bay, The Embarcadero at Beach St., San Francisco, California, USA 1994-09-05 62 Celebrating Gray Whales Hollywood, California, USA 1994-09-12 EXTINCT (1999): Mural was painted on Mann's Chinese Twin, a theater adjacent to Grauman's Chinese Theater for 70mm presentations; the Twin was demolished to build the current-day Ovation Hollywood 63 Life Size Blue Whales Stage 29, Paramount Pictures, N. Gower St. at Leonard Nimoy Way, Hollywood, California, USA 1994-09-12 The mural remains and is visible from the street 64 San Diego Migration 1420 Kettner Blvd., San Diego, California, USA 1994-09-19 EXTINCT (2012, partial): Ariel Apartments built abutting the building with mural, blocking view for anyone except their tenants
2010: US Bank committed to keeping it when they bought the building 65 Friendly Grays of San Ignacio Mexico City, Mexico, USA 1994-09-26 EXTINCT 66 Free Keiko Mexico City, Mexico, USA 1994-09-26 EXTINCT