🔗 Share this article

To celebrate the arrival of a captivating new book Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology, an exciting collaboration has been formed. The Pokémon Company alongside London's Natural History Museum will launch a pop-up shop featuring exclusive merchandise. Enthusiasts can look forward to offerings including plush toys, art prints, and writing supplies all inspired by the museum's theme. For collectors, however, is a specially made Pikachu card, given as a free bonus for the pop-up. The store will operate from the physical location and online between late January and mid-April.

The Book That Inspires the Collaboration

Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology is a highly anticipated volume filled with beautiful illustrations that show creatures in their natural habitats. The concept is the kind of research a Pokémon Professor might publish after trainers provide field notes, alternatively a naturalist's journal might have created had the Galapagos were populated by flying-types instead of birds. Part of the charm stems from the book's serious treatment, treating Pokémon as a legitimate scientific study. Writer Yoshinari Yonehara and artist Chihiro Kinoshita both hold PhDs in ecology and behavioral science.

Why This Promo Card Different

The company regularly for The Pokémon Company to release cards for big events or crossover partnerships. A lot of these collector items often feature the famous mouse Pokémon who serves as the franchise mascot. What distinguishes this new promotion apart however, is the unusually large size. While exact measurements were not immediately shared, its distribution will certainly be highly restricted, with fans limited to just one card per purchase.

Limiting Speculator Interest

Per a company statement, some of the merchandise will also be sold outside the institution itself. However, a wider release is slated for specific stores within the United Kingdom. Critically, collectors cannot purchase this promo via the online Pokémon Center. Although reseller interest is inevitable, it appears they're going to have trouble hoarding mass quantities this time around. For those unable to attend, there is an alternative like fossil-themed display coming to Chicago in the coming months.

"All profits of sales from the Museum shop and its online store, which covers Pokémon products, support the Natural History Museum’s charitable mission. This includes the research of 400 scientists dedicated to conducting studies to discover answers to the planetary emergency," the statement says.