Trolls Seek Refuge in the Redwoods at Filoli Historic House & Garden
TROLLS: Save the Humans opens June 7, 2025
WOODSIDE, CA – January 30, 2025 – TROLLS: Save the Humans opens on June 7, 2025, at Filoli Historic House and Garden. Featuring six of Thomas Dambo’s gigantic folklore-inspired troll sculptures built from reclaimed wood, the outdoor exhibition explores the intersection of folklore, poetry, and the human relationship to the natural environment.
“I’m so happy my Trolls get to spend some time amongst the giant redwoods at Filoli,” says Thomas Dambo. “I spent a day hiking in the forest, and it is a magical place where I know my Trolls will feel at home.”
Like many of Thomas Dambo’s sculptures, each Troll has been created from reclaimed wood, highlighting the artist’s passion as a recycling art activist. His vision is to create art that inspires people to explore and create new adventures in nature while demonstrating that trash can be turned into something beautiful and unique. The Trolls will arrive at Filoli where they will live within the Natural Lands, waiting for Filoli’s visitors to discover them on their adventures. This will be the first time the trolls have been in the California redwoods. Guests may find them on the California Trail planting a garden at the trailhead, resting among the redwoods, or hanging birdhouses in the oak woodlands.
“At Filoli, our focus is to connect people to the magic of nature, and Thomas Dambo’s Trolls do just that,” adds Kara Newport, President & CEO of Filoli. “These playful, larger-than-life sculptures aren’t only fun to discover—they carry an important message about taking care of our planet. Crafted from reclaimed wood, they remind us that creativity and sustainability go hand in hand. We can’t wait for visitors to explore this enchanting exhibition and be inspired to see the world a little differently.”
Trolls at Filoli marks the latest chapter in a worldwide sculpture fairytale. In this installation, six young activist trolls have noticed that humans are disconnected from nature and have started harming the planet. These young Trolls set out to help humans learn how to live harmoniously with the planet.
Full of personality and activism, each Troll has a unique name and plays a distinctive role in the tribe, becoming role models for humans to learn from. For example, Ronja Redeye, the group leader, has a voice that sounds like whistling leaves in the wind; when she speaks, everyone listens. Another Troll is Rosa Sunfinger, who brings back life where humans have abandoned it, places flowers in an improvised pot made from a car, and watches the garden grow. Ibbi Pip is busy putting up birdhouses to bring nature closer to humans, while another is preoccupied with listening to the ground, hearing the smallest sounds of nature.
With over 101 larger-than-life Trolls worldwide, Trolls at Filoli is Thomas Dambo’s latest exploration into crafting giant trolls with an environmental call. In this traveling exhibition, he tells an evolved story of listening and tending to nature, further building on Nordic-inspired tales and artist-made poems.
“Imagine is proud to partner with Thomas Dambo to bring the creative vision of TROLLS: Save the Humans to Filoli Historic House & Garden,” shares Tom Zaller, President and CEO of Imagine. “We’re delighted to collaborate with Filoli on this incredible exhibition and to offer a new outdoor exhibition for visitors of all ages.”
TROLLS: Save the Humans is produced by Imagine in collaboration with the artist. It is on view at Filoli Historic House & Garden from June 7–November 10, 2025.
Programming for families and children will center around nature play, wellness, and performing arts. A children’s play space will be created from oak trees that once grew on the property. Theater and musical performances will take place on the natural lands. More information to come.
TROLLS: Save the Humans is generously sponsored by the San Francisco Peninsula, Dennis and Julie Carlson and Family, and The Wollenberg Family. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available.
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About Filoli
Filoli, (Pronunciation: F ī / Lō / Lē) is a vibrant landscape of the Bay Area, situated on the unceded ancestral lands of the Ramaytush Ohlone in Woodside, California. The estate boasts 654 acres of beauty nestled along the slopes of California’s coastal range. Originally built as a private residence in 1917, Filoli was opened to the public in 1975 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The property is considered one of the finest remaining country estates of the 20th century, featuring a 54,000+ square-foot Georgian revival-style mansion, 16 acres of exquisite English Renaissance gardens, a 6.8-acre Gentleman’s Orchard, and hundreds of acres of Natural Lands with six distinct ecosystems and two trail loops. Open 363 days a year, Filoli is just 30 minutes south of San Francisco.
About Thomas Dambo
Born in Odense, Denmark in 1979, Thomas Dambo creates art that inspires people to explore, have adventures in nature, and show that recycled goods can be turned into something beautiful. Before embarking on the path of building larger-than-life troll sculptures, Thomas led a multi-faceted life that allowed him to express his creativity via music, street art, and scenic design. After graduating from the Kolding Design School in Kolding, Denmark, with a master’s degree in interactive design, Thomas began his journey of using recycled materials to create colorful art installations, building the foundation for his artwork today. He currently lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Thomas Dambo is best known for his colossal trolls that ‘live’ as permanent or semi-permanent installations in parks, greenspaces, industrial parks, and other site-specific locations around the world. Each folklore-inspired sculpture is imbued with expression and character and is built entirely from reclaimed materials.
About Imagine
Imagine (formerly known as Imagine Exhibitions) is a global leader in immersive storytelling and experiential design, specializing in the development of world-class exhibitions and attractions for museums, studios, IPs, brands, and leisure destinations worldwide. Through its four core services—Exhibitions, Studio, Retail, and Operations—Imagine created visitor experiences that entertain, educate, and inspire.
Imagine’s Exhibitions division creates, tours, and operates award-winning traveling experiences like Harry Potter™: The Exhibition and Titanic: The Exhibition, captivating audiences and driving attendance worldwide. Its Studio plans, designs, and produces both traveling and permanent experiences, offering comprehensive creative services for clients seeking unique, story-driven experiences. The Retail division enhances guest engagement and drives revenue through bespoke product development, store design, and operations, while the Operations team provides extensive consulting, marketing, and operational support, ensuring the seamless and profitable management of visitor experiences across various venues.
Imagine is currently producing, presenting or operating more than 40 unique experiences around the globe, spanning museums, science centers, zoos, botanical gardens, integrated resorts, and non-traditional venues. For more information, visittheimagineteam.com.
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Contact
Miriam Cohen
Filoli Historic House & Garden
mcohen@filoli.org / press@filoli.org
86 Cañada Road
Woodside, CA 94062
650.364.8300 / 626.726.7507
