This ambitious public art project is presented by Scan Design Foundation, whose mission is to support Danish-American relations with a focus on environmental sustainability. NWTrolls: Way of the Bird King features six giant hand-built troll sculptures by Danish environmental artist, Thomas Dambo. The publicly-accessible sculptures are located around the Pacific Northwest where each whimsical troll sculpture is part of an underlying environmental story. The project celebrates the human experience of art by amplifying the connections of cultural heritage between Coast Salish tribal communities and Scandinavian traditions. Thanks to our funding partners and host site partners, there is no admission fee to visit any of the trolls.
Thomas consulted with tribal groups and Nordic representatives to best integrate the shared values of protecting the PNW’s natural resources. For some sites, more involved collaboration was nurtured and factored into the creative process.
Bruun Idun: Muckleshoot artist, Coyote, carved a flute with killer whales, symbolizing the call for whales back to the Salish Sea.
Ole Bolle: Nordia House built a traditional Fogelbo (meaning “bird’s nest”) house to lure Ole Bolle.
Jakob Two Trees: Ginger de los Angeles from the Snoqualmie Tribe gifted braided cedar bark hair tie, bracelets and a necklace.
In the summer of 2023, over a span of 7 weeks, the Dambo crew and a small army of volunteers completed the 6 installations.
A troll takes roughly 7-9 days to build. The trolls were built concurrently during the 7 week timeframe, with two trolls being worked on simultaneously.
A combination of structural wood, used pallets, and found decorations including shells, tree branches, stones and other organic material.
A combination of structural wood, used pallets, and found decorations including shells, tree branches, stones and other organic material.
Each site sourced its own materials, but almost all of the recycled and reclaimed culled lumber, construction scrap wood, used pallets and decorative materials were donated from local businesses and individuals.
Yes, the intention is that visitors can interact and engage with the Trolls. Visitors are free to hug and/or take pictures with the trolls.
No climbing is allowed. Signage requests visitors refrain from climbing the sculptures to avoid injury and to ensure that the trolls can be enjoyed for many years to come.
Tuesday, October 20th 2026 at 6:30pm
Thomas Dambo returns to the Pacific Northwest for a special talk and book signing! Thomas Dambo is considered the world’s leading recycle artist, and is internationally known for his art installations—most notably his giant troll sculptures. From a young age, Thomas' parents instilled the value of recycling and sustainability. His clever mind saw the opportunity to use free recycled materials to build tree houses, games, and artistic creations right from his imagination. In 2023, Thomas was commissioned to create a series of 6 large-scale sculptures made from recycled wood for an exhibition called NW Trolls: Way of The Bird King. We are delighted to welcome Thomas Dambo back to the Pacific Northwest for an engaging presentation, where he will provide a whimsical insight into his life, career, and rise to the world’s best known recycle art activist through stories, images, and videos.
LEARN MORECreated in partnership with Geocaching HQ, the NW Trolls project is proud to offer six geocache adventures to help guide your troll journey. Each adventure includes one troll and ten additional objects of interest along the way.
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