🔗 Share this article

To celebrate the launch of the fascinating new book Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology, an exciting collaboration has been formed. The Pokémon Company and the Natural History Museum will launch a temporary store stocked with special merchandise. Fans can look forward to products like stationery, plushes, and artwork that are inspired by the museum's aesthetic. For collectors, however, will be a specially made Pikachu card, given as a gift with purchase at the pop-up. This shop will operate from on-site at the museum to its web counterpart between late January and mid-April.

Pokécology Behind the Partnership

Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology represents a much-awaited volume filled with stunning illustrations depicting creatures in their wild environments. The concept is what an in-world scientist might publish after adventurers submit their data, alternatively what Charles Darwin could have sketched if the famous islands were populated by flying-types rather than birds. Part of the charm lies in the book's scholarly approach, treating Pokémon as worthy of subject for inquiry. Author Yoshinari Yonehara together with illustrator Chihiro Kinoshita each possess PhDs in animal behavior and ecology.

What Makes This Promo Card Different

It is common for The Pokémon Company to release cards celebrating major tournaments or crossover partnerships. Many of these promotional cards often feature the famous mouse Pokémon that acts as the franchise mascot. What distinguishes this new museum card is its distinctly bigger dimensions. While exact measurements have not been publicly disclosed, availability will certainly be strictly limited, and fans able to get only a single card per purchase.

Curbing Speculator Activity

Per a company statement, a portion of the pop-up items may also be available outside the museum walls. However, a wider release is slated for select retailers in the UK. Critically, collectors cannot purchase the card via the official web shop. While reseller interest is a given, it appears they're going to have trouble hoarding mass quantities this time around. For those feeling left out, consider the upcoming fossil-themed display headed to the Windy City in the coming months.

"Every penny from purchases from the Museum shop and from its web shop, including Pokémon products, support the Natural History Museum’s non-profit work. That encompasses the efforts of 400 scientists dedicated to scientific inquiry to discover answers to the global ecological crisis," the statement says.