Volkswagen Spider Sculpture – Palm Springs, California - Atlas Obscura

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Volkswagen Spider Sculpture

Hole In The Wall

This giant spider sculpture made from the iconic car is one giant visual pun. 

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Located on the site of a former auto repair shop stands a giant metal spider, the body of which is a Volkswagen Beetle. Although the warehouse it seems to guard is private property, the large work of art is visible from the street and tall enough to be seen from the other side of a fence.

The property itself is known as “Hole In The Wall” (formerly Hole In The Wall Welding Shop) and has an overall atmosphere of desert eccentricity, adorned with cacti, metal spider webs, and a gate decorated with the local horizon.

The 28-foot-tall sculpture was built by Palm Springs local Robert Miner.  Miner ran his auto repair shop from the early 1970s through the 1990s.  Afterwards, his family moved onto the property.  Miner passed away in 2008, but his eye-catching art lives on.

The property consists of two Quonset hut-type buildings, a treehouse/lookout tower (bedecked with spider/web motifs), and numerous other treasures.

While the gate is usually closed, it’s easy to see this metalwork and get pictures from the outside. The sculpture is fairly close to other Palm Springs attractions.

Know Before You Go

It's easiest to park in the nearby Jack-In-The-Box parking lot. Keep in mind that this is private property, so don't trespass or linger too long.

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