There Will Soon Be Trolls Hiding Along the Trails at Point Defiance Zoo

Something enormous—and considerably more mysterious than the average zoo resident—is preparing to move into Point Defiance.

Beginning October 15, four giant wooden trolls will be hiding among the gardens, trails and animal habitats at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Each sculpture will stand between seven and nine feet tall, making them difficult to overlook even when they are tucked into the landscape.

The temporary outdoor exhibition, TROLLS: A Field Study, was created by internationally known Danish artist Thomas Dambo. His massive, whimsical figures are constructed primarily from reclaimed materials, including discarded pallets, scrap wood, fallen branches and twigs.

Point Defiance will receive four of the exhibition’s 12 trolls. The other eight will take up residence at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park near Eatonville. Together, the two Parks Tacoma attractions will become the first locations in the Pacific Northwest to host Dambo’s larger-than-life creations.

The exhibition will remain open through January 24, 2027.

These are not four interchangeable wooden giants. Each troll has a name, personality and particular interest in the strange behavior of human beings.

Boge, the welcoming hands, extends his arms toward visitors. He believes trolls and humans can learn from one another and studies how people work together to solve problems. Boge represents openness, cooperation and human connection.

Larke, the mask troll, observes birds, weather and the changing seasons. Her unusual hat reflects the human desire to express individuality, while her story reminds visitors that nature follows cycles that cannot be hurried.

Poppi, the curious collector, gathers objects discarded by humans. She is especially interested in why people manufacture so many things designed to be used only once—a not particularly subtle question for a sculpture built from material that might otherwise have become waste.

Finally, Birch, the measure troll, studies forests and the ways trees communicate through soil and interconnected root systems. Birch’s story asks visitors to think about whether people still see themselves as members of the natural community—or as something separate from it.

The remaining eight trolls at Northwest Trek have their own specialties, including protecting seeds, studying wildlife, planning for the future and documenting acts of environmental kindness.

The premise behind the exhibition turns the usual zoo experience on its head.

Rather than visitors studying wildlife, the trolls have supposedly arrived to study the visitors. They quietly watch how humans behave, what we discard and whether we are capable of changing the damage we cause.

The trolls are curious rather than hostile. Led by a character named Taks at Northwest Trek, they are conducting their “field study” to decide whether people can relearn how to care for the natural world.

That story gives families an entertaining reason to explore the parks while introducing broader ideas about waste, sustainability and environmental stewardship. Dambo’s work is intended to show that discarded materials can be transformed into something imaginative and beautiful.

Born in Denmark in 1979, Dambo studied interactive design before working in music, street art and scenic design. His recycled-material installations have appeared in more than 17 countries and attracted millions of visitors.

Seeing the four Point Defiance trolls will be included with regular zoo admission or membership; no separate exhibition ticket will be required. Parking at the zoo is also free.

All four Tacoma trolls will be accessible from paved pathways. Visitors may gently touch them, hug them and pose for photographs, but climbing or standing on the sculptures will not be allowed.

Dogs will even be able to join the troll hunt during selected Dog Days at the zoo.

Visitors who want the complete experience will need to make a second trip to Northwest Trek to find the other eight figures. Whether anyone can resist trying to collect photographs with all 12 remains to be seen.

TROLLS: A Field Study opens October 15 at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and continues through January 24, 2027.

For more information click here.
Read more about the artist here.