Entry No. 22 — the Milwaukee file — filed under: giant sculptures
Mama Rosa the Troll
Looming 24.5 feet high in Wauwatosa's Firefly Grove Park, this colossal wooden troll was constructed by Danish artist Thomas Dambo using discarded city street trees and reclaimed lumber. She clutches seven repurposed solar streetlamp 'flowers' in her giant hands above a reclaimed municipal landfill.
The story
You are standing on a capped municipal landfill in Wauwatosa, staring up at a 24.5-foot wooden giant holding streetlights like a bunch of picked wildflowers. This is Mama Rosa, constructed by Danish artist Thomas Dambo using fallen city street trees and salvaged municipal lumber. She isn't just a giant outdoor sculpture—she’s built as a mythic scavenger sitting directly on top of civic trash.
Dambo’s whole trick is converting urban waste into fairy-tale creatures, and Mama Rosa grounds that premise in very specific hardware. In her oversized wooden hands, she clutches seven repurposed solar-powered streetlamp 'flowers.' If you wander the surrounding grounds at Firefly Grove Park, you'll cross the matching lamppost bases where those light fixtures were originally planted before the troll 'plucked' them.
What it's like
Expect an unpretentious outdoor stop at a neighborhood park off 116th Street. You'll follow the park's sensory trail to hunt for the seven 'broken' lamppost stumps before reaching the troll's massive wooden feet. There are no ticketholders or turnstiles here. Time your visit for dusk or right after dark so you can see the solar lamp bouquet in her hands start to glow against the night sky.
The move: Walk the park's sensory trail to hunt for the seven matching 'broken' lampposts hidden around Firefly Grove before snapping a photo beneath Mama Rosa's massive wooden feet.
- 📍 Wauwatosa
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 1900 N 116th St, Wauwatosa, WI 53226
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Morris Pratt Institute — Trade a 24-foot recycled troll for a tour of the world's only Spiritualist college, located less than a mile east in Wauwatosa.
- Heat Haven Sauna Park — Follow up a chilly walk around the troll with a warm session in cedar barrel saunas tucked along the Menomonee River in Hart Park.
- Float Oasis Spa — Head two miles west into Brookfield to trade outdoor reclaimed art for an hour in an open-water sensory float pool.
Good to know
Where is Mama Rosa located?
She is located inside Firefly Grove Park at 1900 N 116th St in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
What materials were used to construct the troll?
Danish artist Thomas Dambo built her 24.5-foot frame using discarded local street trees and reclaimed lumber.
What are the streetlamps in her hands?
She holds seven repurposed solar streetlamps styled like a bouquet, which match seven headless lamppost bases hidden along the park trail.
Does it cost anything to see Mama Rosa?
No, access to Firefly Grove Park is completely free and open to the public.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: visitmilwaukee.org · travelwisconsin.com
last checked: 2026-07-21