May 13, 2026
The Wild Center Celebrates 20 Years with a Summer to Remember
Thomas Dambo’s TROLLS: Save the Humans, a reimagined signature film, a 20th Anniversary Celebration with Martin Sexton, and a full season of events make 2026 one of the biggest years yet
Tupper Lake, N.Y. – The Wild Center is marking a milestone 20th anniversary with one of its most celebratory seasons yet. This summer, the museum welcomes world-renowned artist Thomas Dambo’s TROLLS: Save the Humans—an extraordinary large-scale outdoor installation— alongside the debut of a reimagined version of its signature film, The Wild Adirondacks, and a milestone 20th Anniversary Celebration on July 11. This summer honors two decades of connecting people with the natural world of the Adirondacks.
The Wild Center is open for the 2026 season with a Friday-through-Sunday schedule, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and then opens daily starting on Memorial Day, May 25. There will be extended hours from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in July and August. Tickets can be purchased at wildcenter.org/tickets and include access to the award-winning Wild Walk, the immersive Forest Music experience, hiking trails, the new TROLLS exhibit and the film The Wild Adirondacks. Daily reservations are subject to sell-out, and advance tickets are encouraged.
“Twenty years ago, we opened our doors with a dream of helping people to better understand and connect with nature and the Adirondacks,” said Stephanie Ratcliffe, Executive Director of The Wild Center, who has been with the museum since 2002. “This summer we’re celebrating that dream in the biggest way we know how — with giant trolls in the forest, a breathtaking new film, the return of Martin Sexton, and a free community celebration for everyone who has been part of this journey. We can’t wait to share it all.”
The Wild Adirondacks – A New Film
Thanks to a 2026 Conservation and Community Interpretive Grant from the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership, The Wild Center has produced a stunning new version of its original signature film, The Wild Adirondacks. Now playing in the William H. Flammer Panorama Theater, the 17-minute film delivers four times the visual resolution of the 2006 original, featuring new imagery from renowned Adirondack photographer Carl Heilman II spanning over two decades of work. Sweeping time-lapses and still photography carry viewers from the rugged High Peaks to the region's serene rivers and streams, accompanied by an original score remastered by composer Lance Day. The film is included with general admission.
TROLLS: Save the Humans – Opening June 1
The centerpiece of the 2026 season is TROLLS: Save the Humans, a large-scale outdoor installation by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, known globally for his giant recycled-wood troll sculptures hidden in natural landscapes around the world. Opening June 1 and running through October 31, the exhibit features six larger-than-life trolls nestled throughout The Wild Center’s 115-acre campus. Each troll has its own personality and story about protecting nature, inviting visitors of all ages to slow down, explore, and reconnect with the environment.
Members get an exclusive first look during Before They Wake: A Troll Preview Night on May 31, an evening event before the exhibit opens to the public. Members can also enjoy Troll Stroll Member Mornings — intimate early-access strolls from 8–10 a.m. on select Saturdays in July and August, complete with coffee and Washboard donuts at the Wild Walk entrance. Registration required; free for members.
On Saturday, July 4, lace up your sneakers for the Troll Trot 5K — a one-of-a-kind fun run/walk winding through The Wild Center campus and past all six trolls. Registration is available online now and opens at 8 a.m. on race day. The race starts at 9 a.m., and every registered participant will receive a commemorative medal.
Troll Tuesdays (July 7–August 25, 4–7 p.m.) celebrate the world of the trolls every week with live music, make-and-take crafts, interactive workshops, and a spotlight on one of the six troll characters. Free for members or with admission; no additional registration required beyond a general admission ticket.
20th Anniversary Celebration – July 11
On Saturday, July 11, The Wild Center throws open its doors for a free community celebration marking 20 years of curiosity, connection, and care for the natural world. The day features drop-in activities and special programs for all ages, highlights from two decades of impact, experiences across campus, and TROLLS: Save the Humans on view.
Headlining the celebration is a live outdoor concert by Martin Sexton, the soulful singer-songwriter who also performed at The Wild Center’s opening in 2006. Ticket reservations for July 11 are encouraged at wildcenter.org/tickets. More information at wildcenter.org/20th-anniversary.
Seasonal Programming & Activities
The Wild Center’s beloved year-round programming returns in full. Daily activities include animal encounters, fish-feeding demonstrations, and programs with The Wild Center’s North American River Otters. Guided Canoe Trips on the Raquette River are offered on Sundays in June and return to daily departures from July 1 through September 7 at 1 p.m. Naturalist-led exploration activities take place on Wild Walk and across campus daily.
Forest Music, the immersive woodland soundscape featuring 24 speakers along a winding trail, continues to enchant. The expanded Fen Trail — a mile-long loop with Raquette River Roll stations — returns as well. Wooden balls can be borrowed or purchased as a souvenir. Birdly, the virtual reality flying simulator, is back for another year, and rides can be purchased on arrival.
Other special programming includes National Pollinator Week (June 22–28), the Science Speaker Series, Adirondack Water Week (July 31–Aug. 9), and more. For the full events calendar, visit wildcenter.org/calendar.
Programming is supported through a Market New York grant awarded by Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State’s Division of Tourism.
TROLLS: Save the Humans is produced by The Imagine Team.
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