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Marking the arrival of the fascinating new book Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology, an exciting partnership is underway. The Pokémon Company alongside the Natural History Museum are opening a pop-up shop featuring special items. Enthusiasts will find offerings including stationery, plushes, and artwork all inspired by the museum's theme. For collectors, however, is a limited-edition Pikachu card, offered as a free bonus for the pop-up. The store will operate from on-site at the museum and online between late January and mid-April.

The Book That Inspires the Collaboration

Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology represents a much-awaited volume filled with beautiful artwork that show creatures in their natural habitats. The concept is the kind of research a Pokémon Professor could produce after adventurers provide field notes, or a naturalist's journal might have created had the Galapagos teemed with Pidgeys instead of finches. A key appeal lies in the book's scholarly treatment, presenting Pokémon as a legitimate scientific study. Author Yoshinari Yonehara and illustrator Chihiro Kinoshita each possess PhDs in animal behavior and ecology.

What Makes This Special Card Different

The company regularly for The Pokémon Company special edition promos for major tournaments or brand collaborations. Many such collector items typically highlight the iconic mouse Pokémon who serves as the series face. The factor setting this latest museum card however, is the distinctly bigger size. While exact measurements were not immediately shared, availability is guaranteed to be highly restricted, and customers able to get just one card per purchase.

Curbing Reseller Interest

Per an official statement, some of the pop-up items will also be sold outside the institution itself. But, broader availability will only be select retailers within the UK. Importantly, collectors will not be able to purchase the card through the online Pokémon Center. While reseller interest is a given, it appears they will have trouble hoarding mass quantities this time around. If you're feeling left out, there is an alternative like Pokémon Fossil exhibit coming to the Windy City in the coming months.

"Every penny of sales from the museum store and from its web shop, which covers these items, go toward the Natural History Museum’s charitable mission. This includes the research of hundreds of researchers dedicated to scientific inquiry and finding solutions to the planetary emergency," the statement says.