diff --git a/examples/specialty_plots/skewt.py b/examples/specialty_plots/skewt.py
index f77afcc49f10..0f5dd770f50e 100644
--- a/examples/specialty_plots/skewt.py
+++ b/examples/specialty_plots/skewt.py
@@ -93,10 +93,12 @@ def _init_axis(self):
         self.spines['right'].register_axis(self.yaxis)
 
     def _gen_axes_spines(self):
-        spines = {'top': SkewSpine.linear_spine(self, 'top'),
-                  'bottom': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'bottom'),
-                  'left': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'left'),
-                  'right': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'right')}
+        spines = mspines._Spines({
+            'top': SkewSpine.linear_spine(self, 'top'),
+            'bottom': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'bottom'),
+            'left': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'left'),
+            'right': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'right')
+        })
         return spines
 
     def _set_lim_and_transforms(self):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
index 61a0d64cd86f..aa67c6199a62 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-from collections import OrderedDict
 from contextlib import ExitStack
 import inspect
 import itertools
@@ -1002,8 +1001,10 @@ def _gen_axes_spines(self, locations=None, offset=0.0, units='inches'):
         -----
         Intended to be overridden by new projection types.
         """
-        return OrderedDict((side, mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, side))
-                           for side in ['left', 'right', 'bottom', 'top'])
+        return mspines._Spines(
+            (side, mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, side))
+            for side in ['left', 'right', 'bottom', 'top']
+        )
 
     def sharex(self, other):
         """
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/projections/polar.py b/lib/matplotlib/projections/polar.py
index 007308fb4933..8b6141e442ad 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/projections/polar.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/projections/polar.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-from collections import OrderedDict
 import types
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -996,7 +995,7 @@ def _gen_axes_patch(self):
         return mpatches.Wedge((0.5, 0.5), 0.5, 0.0, 360.0)
 
     def _gen_axes_spines(self):
-        spines = OrderedDict([
+        spines = mspines._Spines([
             ('polar', mspines.Spine.arc_spine(self, 'top',
                                               (0.5, 0.5), 0.5, 0.0, 360.0)),
             ('start', mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'left')),
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/spines.py b/lib/matplotlib/spines.py
index 757918e0d9bc..e7680d2fed9a 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/spines.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/spines.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import numpy as np
+from collections import OrderedDict
 
 import matplotlib
 from matplotlib import cbook, docstring, rcParams
@@ -534,3 +535,20 @@ def set_color(self, c):
         """
         self.set_edgecolor(c)
         self.stale = True
+
+
+class _Spines(OrderedDict):
+    """
+    A collection of multiple axis spines.
+
+    _Spines can be accessed by both key and attribute.
+
+    """
+    def __dir__(self):
+        return super().__dir__() + list(self.keys())
+
+    def __getattr__(self, key):
+        return self[key]
+
+    def __setattr__(self, key, value):
+        self[key] = value
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_skew.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_skew.py
index 324d53492b41..eb98a412df6c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_skew.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_skew.py
@@ -83,10 +83,12 @@ def _init_axis(self):
         self.spines['right'].register_axis(self.yaxis)
 
     def _gen_axes_spines(self):
-        spines = {'top': SkewSpine.linear_spine(self, 'top'),
-                  'bottom': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'bottom'),
-                  'left': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'left'),
-                  'right': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'right')}
+        spines = mspines._Spines({
+            'top': SkewSpine.linear_spine(self, 'top'),
+            'bottom': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'bottom'),
+            'left': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'left'),
+            'right': mspines.Spine.linear_spine(self, 'right')
+        })
         return spines
 
     def _set_lim_and_transforms(self):