From the Field Study guide: "Not long ago, we trolls were baffled by little humans - zipping around in metal beasts, scrolling on your pocket stars. But then we saw how your eyes still light up when you see a handsome snail or a beautiful leaf, and we thought... maybe you're not so strange after all! So we've come to study you further, and see if we can find some wild treasure together (much better than shiny coins). You in?"
We previously explored one of Dambo's troll exhibits at the Morton Arboretum in Illinois and were so excited to have another chance to see one of his art installations!
The sculptures range from seven to nine feet tall, and are crafted from wooden materials like fallen branches, pallets and twigs. They are created to be interactive, and my kids had so much fun crawling into nets for photo ops, taking up-close looks at the materials used, and learning each troll’s name and story!
"On the night he was born, a little troll named Taks wandered into the human world. What he saw left him puzzled—strange machines, noisy boxes, people rushing around without stopping to talk to the trees. When he returned to the forest, he shared his discoveries with his eleven siblings - and so it started: Trolls: A Field Study!”
Make sure to get the map from the education center, it has activities corresponding to each site for the kids to complete, as well as providing a checklist of sorts, so that you can locate all 12 trolls without too much backtracking.
Admission to Trolls: A Field Study is included in the standard Arboretum parking fee, and no advance tickets are required. However, be aware that on weekends you may encounter crowds and a longer wait to enter the Arboretum and should plan accordingly.
The exhibit is at the NC Arboretum from November 15, 2025 through February 17, 2026. As Winter Lights is also currently running at the Arboretum, daily hours have been shortened to 8am to 5pm, with last admission at 4pm. After the holidays normal business hours will resume: 8am to 7pm starting January 5, 2026. A Winter Lights/Daytime combo ticket is available, but those ticket holders must also exit at 5:00 p.m. and return at the entry time listed on their Winter Lights ticket.
While you’re at the Arboretum, make sure to check out the children’s exhibit Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact in the Baker Exhibit Hall, which runs through January 4, 2026. Visitors can peek inside the snowpack to find animals that make their homes in the snow, walk through a snowstorm, or even build a snowman! The outdoor “Playing Woods” area is always a hit with our family; we plan for snack time and a rest there. The NC Arboretum is also a participant in the ecoEXPLORE citizen science program and the Kids in Parks TRACKTrail program, both of which make a visit even more immersive.
Location: NC Arboretum, 20 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC 28806
Admission: Free, but there is a parking fee for non-members
($20 for standard vehicle)
Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., with the last entry at 4 p.m.
Exhibit runs from November 15, 2025 through February 17,
2026
Website: Trolls:
A Field Study - The North Carolina Arboretum
This article first appeared on Kidding Around Greenville as Trolls Take Over the Arboretum: A New Family Experience.
The article Hunting for trolls at the Morton Arboretum, on the topic of Dambo's "Hunting for Trolls" exhibit can be found here.
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