The Troll Hole Museum is a unique destination in northeastern Ohio. Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest collection of trolls in the world, this museum offers a guided tour into the world of trolls.
What is The Troll Hole Museum?
The Troll Museum houses the largest troll doll collection as recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. But that’s not all you’ll find in this unique museum. The museum is also a Pokémon Go Gym and has been said to have paranormal activity.
Note: While I enjoyed seeing the world’s largest collection of troll dolls, there is a darker element to the museum that talks about trolls living among us, and a few exhibits including the troll mountain and troll bridge that may be frightening for younger visitors.
Touring the Troll Hole Museum
When entering the museum off the street, you’ll step directly into the gift shop area. Once you pay for your tour, you’ll climb the stairs in the front to the waiting room.
This was my favorite room. It’s fun and upbeat and contains several exhibits modeled after things you’ll find in Ohio, such as the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. There are KISS, Prince, and Michael Jackson troll dolls as well as a Pro Football Hall of Fame football field complete with stands full of trolls.
You’ll also see some of the trolls that have been sent to owner Sherry Groom for repair.
In this room, you’ll be joined by your tour guide who will walk you through the rest of the museum and explain the exhibits to you.
You exit the room through the portal to learn about the ancient mythology of trolls and learn what others believe throughout the world which is especially popular in the countries of Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, all part of the Arctic Circle.
From here you enter a series of rooms with different forms of trolls, books on trolls, movie trolls, Smoky Mountain trolls and you’ll learn about Thomas Dam, a Danish woodcutter who was the creator of the original troll in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.
Where is The Troll Hole Museum? How do I Get There?
The Troll Hole is located on East Main Street in the city of Alliance.
The Top Exhibits at The Troll Hole Museum in Alliance, OH
My favorite aspect of the tour was the room where the tour began. I enjoyed seeing the Troll Hospital that shows where some of the dolls have been repaired, the football field that pays a tribute to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the Troll Rock and Roll Hall of Fame though I can’t remember the name they gave the exhibit (see the photo with the KISS trolls below).
I also really enjoyed the rooms that house the world’s largest collection of troll dolls.
My favorite exhibits:
- The Troll Hole Hall of Fame
- The Troll Bowl
- DreamWorks Troll Movie Collection
- Smokey Mountain Troll Collection
What Else Is There to Do at The Troll Hole Museum?
- Shop in the Gift Shop
- Grab a coffee or eat Belgian Waffles at the Grumpy Troll Cafe found in the back of the gift shop
- Find Pokémon in the Pokemon Go Gym
- Go on a scavenger hunt (ask at the front desk)
Things to Know Before You Visit The Troll Museum
- There is plenty of free parking available. My husband and I took advantage of the free 2-hour on-street parking.
- The museum has limited hours so plan accordingly. Right now, it is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- You may pop in to shop in the gift shop for free.
- A guided tour of the troll collection is $10 for adults.
- If you follow The Troll Hole’s YouTube channel, they will give you $1 which could come off the cost of your ticket.
If you love trolls or find yourself near Alliance, OH, a stop at The Troll Hole Museum is an adventure worth taking.
Visiting Information:
The Troll Hole
Address: 228 E Main St, Alliance, Ohio 44601
Website: https://www.thetrollhole.com/
Hours: See the website for the most up-to-date hours. During our visit, the museum was open Fri-Sun 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Other Things to Do Near Alliance, OH
In addition to the Troll Hole, Alliance is also home to the Feline Historical Museum, a cat cafe, unique murals, Glamorgan Castle, and a 9/11 Memorial in Silver Park.
Feline Historical Museum
This was an interesting stop for cat lovers. You’ll find thousands of cat items; cat statues, cat jewelry, cat books, etc. but possibly the most intriguing is the Frank Lloyd Wright cat house that is the only remaining cat house known to be in existence by the architect.
This cat museum is located in an old bank and primarily housed on the first floor though there are a couple of exhibits upstairs as well.
If you plan to do both the cat museum and troll museum on the same day you will need to visit on a Friday due to hours.
Address: 260 E Main St, Alliance, OH 44601
Feline Historical Museum Website
Open Mon-Fri 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The cost is $3 per person.
The Camelot Mural
This fun mural is diagonal to the cat museum and can’t be missed! You’ll find other murals located throughout the city as well so keep your eyes open, so you don’t miss any.
Mad Dogs and Crazy Cat Cafe
The Cat Cafe is owned by the owners of The Troll Hole. Call ahead and schedule a time to play with the cats. Inside you’ll find a Zen room, jungle-themed playroom, and outdoor patio that is enclosed to prevent escape.
You’ll also find that some of the cats are available for adoption so if you’re looking to expand your family, you may want to make an appointment and stop by to get to know the resident cats.
Address: 40 N. Arch Street, Alliance, OH 44601
Open: By appointment
Mad Dogs and Crazy Cats Website
Glamorgan Castle
This historical landmark was built as a private residence in the early 1900s and now serves as the administration building for the Alliance City Schools.
Address: 200 Glamorgan Street Alliance, OH 44601
Phone: 330-238-8787
Open: Fridays at 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. by appointment only
Glamorgan Castle Website
Do you want to visit more castles? Check out our post focused on Castles in Ohio.
9/11 Memorial in Silver Park
This memorial is located in Silver Park. Designed by students of Mount Union, it is the only memorial in the country made with aluminum debris.
Address: 2930 S. Union Ave., Alliance, OH 44601
Silver Park Website
Visit 9/11 Memorials in Ohio to learn more.
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