Wyland Wall #88 (The Whaling Wall) Visitors Guide

Robert Wyland is a world-renowned marine life artist, enthusiast, and philanthropist, known far and wide for his environmental conservation efforts and his lofty life-size murals, also known as the Whaling Walls. Destin, FL, is home to one of these magnificent maritime murals, Wyland Wall #88 entitled “Marine Life of the Gulf,” creating one of the most unique and eye-catching attractions in the area. Completed in 2001, this mural is 60 feet high, and over 1,400 feet long!

In 1981, Wyland set out to create 100 murals all across the globe, and 27 years later, he achieved his goal. This project is one of the largest public art projects in history, with his murals bringing joy and awareness from Destin, Florida, to Beijing, China. The completed project spans five continents, 17 countries, and 79 cities, and it is estimated that at least one billion people view his artwork, each and every year.

In addition to his art, Wyland also created the Wyland Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. This organization works to promote, protect, and preserve the world’s oceans and marine life, by creating awareness through education, art, and events. Some key accomplishments of this amazing foundation include:

• Launching a global campaign for water conservation in 2015
• Helping to create the Southern California Adopt-A-Channel Program in 2013 to remove trash from the waterways
• Creating the Annual Mayor Challenge in 2012, which promotes water conservation in different cities throughout the U.S.

Wyland not only created one of his marine masterpieces when he was in Destin, but a world record holder, as well! While his mural wraps around the entire Legendary Marina building, there's more here than what meets the eye. Wyland also painted an enormous American flag atop the building, in honor of the United States Armed Forces and all First Responders.

Wyland’s American flag in Destin, Florida, is the Guinness World Record Holder for Largest Flag Mural in the World! This tremendous flag took over four months to create and covers 3.83 acres. This larger-than-life creation is 554 feet wide, and 299 feet tall.