Changing Exhibits | Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center

Renovation Updates

Please note some exhibit spaces in the Aquarium are temporarily closed while we conduct maintenance and renovation work. Learn more on our Renovation Progress page .

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TROLLS: Save the Humans is Now Open!

Exhibition Dates: September 13, 2024 - January 20, 2025.

Meet the six giant Trolls that have taken up residence at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center! The goal of the tribe is to help the humans rediscover nature and inspire them to be good stewards of the earth. Featuring unique personalities, each troll brings a story to tell the humans.

TROLLS: Save the Humans is an exhibition featuring Thomas Dambo’s signature folklore-inspired troll sculptures built from reclaimed materials. Thomas Dambo’s vision is to create art that will inspire people to go explore nature and demonstrate how trash can be upcycled into something beautiful and unique. The outdoor exhibition fuses fairytales, whimsy, and incredible art installations to inspire visitors to explore themes such as art, nature, poetry, folklore, and sustainability messages.

Created by artist Thomas Dambo Art Aps and produced by The Imagine Team. Photo Credit: Courtesy Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Exhibit Created By

Thomas Dambo Art Aps

TROLLS is created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo.

About Thomas Dambo

Imagine Exhibitions

TROLLS is presented by Imagine Exhibitions.

About Imagine Exhibitions

Trolls Nature Trail Map

Nature Trail map with TROLLS locations.

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Meet the Trolls

Photo Credits: Artist Thomas Dambo | Courtesy Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Kamma Can the Trash Troll. Credit: Artist Thomas Dambo | Courtesy Atlanta Botanical Garden

Kamma Can: The Trash Troll

Kamma Can is a creator. Where humans see trash, she sees potential and wants to teach the humans not to throw away things so fast but instead to get creative with colorful plastics such as using them to create necklaces!

Sofus Lotus the Listening Troll. Credit: Artist Thomas Dambo | Courtesy Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Sofus Lotus: The Listening Troll

Sofus Lotus is a listener who pays great attention to the little things. He was first to notice something was wrong with the world - that nature was changing. He doesn't make a fuss. He just listens and remains mindful of nature and its beings.

Basse Buller the Painting Troll. Credit: Artist Thomas Dambo | Courtesy Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Basse Buller: The Painting Troll

Basse Buller is a wild child who spreads his message in mud paint and expresses himself through nature, including stones, leaves, and sticks, for leading humans on the right path. A rebel, he takes "no" as a "maybe."

Rosa Sunfinger the Botanist Troll. Credit: Artist Thomas Dambo | Courtesy Atlanta Botanical Garden

Rosa Sunfinger: The Botanist Troll

An introverted troll, Rosa expresses herself through her care for plants using her life-giving fingers. She spreads her wisdom by showing how plants can make even the most useless items come back to life.

Ibbi Pip the Birdhouse Troll. Credit: Artist Thomas Dambo | Courtesy Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Ibbi Pip: The Birdhouse Troll

Ibbi Pip tries to communicate with humans through colorful birdhouses. She's observed how humans use them to bring wildlife closer, and so thinks more birdhouses could awaken humans' compassion for their natural surroundings.

Ronja Redeye the Speaker Troll. Credit: Artist Thomas Dambo | Courtesy Atlanta Botanical Garden

Ronja Redeye: The Speaker Troll

Considered the best communicator among the traveling troll tribe, Ronja speaks to humans with compassion because she knows that words have the power to make them smile, but can also make them sad.

Child exploring Long Term Memory exhibit.

Emotions at Play Coming Soon!

Member Opening Day: January 18, 2025
Exhibition Dates: January 19, 2025 - May 4, 2025.

Experience the role emotions, memory, and imagination play in our everyday lives at the Virginia Aquarium's new changing exhibit, Emotions at Play with Pixar's Inside Out. Hands-on and digital experiences in the exhibit focus on the five emotions featured in the Pixar film: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. Explore some of the ways we express our emotions — and recognize emotions in others, too.

This exhibition was developed by Children's Museum of Pittsburgh in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios .

Step into Headquarters to explore the range and intensity of emotions at the Control Panel.
Engage with feelings and reactions at the Emotions Mirrors.
Recall feelings toward and important memory by creating a glowing Memory Sphere.
Create an imaginary story and perform it at Dream Productions.
Control and keep the Train of Thought on track.
Build and learn how emotions work together with the Emotion Blocks.