The Toilet Bowl

Born out of frustration in attempts to find the porta-potties on the inner playa at night, the Bathroom Beacons Project makes it easier to find the potties with four unique art installations located at the banks of portapotties. Each installation is designed to be high above the portapotties, illuminated at night and indicate the presence of restrooms nearby, while contributing to the unique artistic aesthetic of the Burning Man event.

Bathroom seekers directed to the portapotties by The Toilet Bowl sign and are pleasantly surprised to find a functioning bowling alley right near the potty.  With two lanes for bowling, The Toilet Bowl replicates the full bowling experience. This includes (but not limited to), bowlers changing into proper bowling shoes before entering the lanes and classic alley seats to sit in while you wait your turn to bowl.

The project was inspired by classic American bowling alleys from the 1940s. The Toilet Bowl sign is a replica of The Wagon Wheel Bowling Alley sign in Oxnard, CA . Similar to classic alleys in the 1940s, there is an overlay ball return run by volunteers who return your ball and re-rack the pins. However, unlike the classic bowling alleys there are some playa enhancements. For example, the lanes are trimmed in lights and the consoles run The Big Lebowski on repeat all night.

The Toilet Bowl was located in BRC at the 9:00 promenade potties (between the Esplanade and The Man) in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Toilet Bowl Photo Gallery

Toilet Bowl Videos

Toilet Bowl Press