diff --git a/altair/utils/schemapi.py b/altair/utils/schemapi.py
index 14da63cb0..4db4b238d 100644
--- a/altair/utils/schemapi.py
+++ b/altair/utils/schemapi.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import inspect
 import json
 import textwrap
+from itertools import zip_longest
 
 import jsonschema
 import numpy as np
@@ -116,30 +117,83 @@ def __str__(self):
             for val in schema_path[:-1]
             if val not in ("properties", "additionalProperties", "patternProperties")
         )
+
         if hasattr(vegalite, schema_path.split(".")[-1]):
+            altair_class = "altair." + schema_path.split(".")[-1]
             vegalite_core_class = getattr(vegalite, schema_path.split(".")[-1])
             param_dict_keys = inspect.signature(vegalite_core_class).parameters.keys()
-            param_names = (
-                "Existing parameter names are: "
-                + str([name for name in param_dict_keys if name != "kwds"])[1:-1]
-            )
-            altair_class = "altair." + schema_path.split(".")[-1]
-            return """Invalid specification
-
-            {}, validating {!r}
 
-            {} has no parameter named {!r}
-
-            {}
-
-            See the help for {} to read the full description of these parameters
-            """.format(
-                schema_path,
-                self.validator,
-                altair_class,
-                list(self.instance.keys())[0],
-                textwrap.fill(param_names, subsequent_indent=" " * 12, width=80),
-                altair_class,
+            # Everything from here until the return statement is to format
+            # param names into a table so that they are easier to read
+            param_names, name_lengths = zip(
+                *[(name, len(name)) for name in param_dict_keys if name != "kwds"]
+            )
+            # Worst case scenario with the same longest param name in the same
+            # row for all columns
+            max_name_length = max(name_lengths)
+            max_column_width = 80
+            # Output a square table if not too big (since it is easier to read)
+            num_param_names = len(param_names)
+            square_columns = int(np.ceil(num_param_names**0.5))
+            columns = min(max_column_width // max_name_length, square_columns)
+            # Compute roughly equal column heights to evenly divide the param names
+            def split_into_equal_parts(n, p):
+                return [n // p + 1] * (n % p) + [n // p] * (p - n % p)
+
+            column_heights = split_into_equal_parts(num_param_names, columns)
+
+            # Section the param names into columns and compute their widths
+            param_names_columns = []
+            column_max_widths = []
+            last_end_idx = 0
+            for ch in column_heights:
+                param_names_columns.append(
+                    param_names[last_end_idx : last_end_idx + ch]
+                )
+                column_max_widths.append(
+                    max([len(param_name) for param_name in param_names_columns[-1]])
+                )
+                last_end_idx = ch + last_end_idx
+
+            # Transpose the param name columns into rows to facilitate looping
+            param_names_rows = []
+            for li in zip_longest(*param_names_columns, fillvalue=""):
+                param_names_rows.append(li)
+            # Build the table as a string by iterating over and formatting the rows
+            param_names_table = ""
+            for param_names_row in param_names_rows:
+                for num, param_name in enumerate(param_names_row):
+                    # Set column width based on the longest param in the column
+                    max_name_length_column = column_max_widths[num]
+                    column_pad = 3
+                    param_names_table += "{:<{}}".format(
+                        param_name, max_name_length_column + column_pad
+                    )
+                    # Insert newlines and spacing after the last element in each row
+                    if num == (len(param_names_row) - 1):
+                        param_names_table += "\n"
+                        # 16 is the indendation of the returned multiline string below
+                        param_names_table += " " * 16
+
+            # cleandoc removes multiline string indentation in the output
+            return inspect.cleandoc(
+                """Invalid specification
+
+                {}, validating {!r}
+
+                {} has no parameter named {!r}
+
+                Existing parameter names are:
+                {}
+                See the help for {} to read the full description of these parameters
+                """.format(
+                    schema_path,
+                    self.validator,
+                    altair_class,
+                    list(self.instance.keys())[0],
+                    param_names_table,
+                    altair_class,
+                )
             )
         # Fall back on the less informative error message
         else: