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To celebrate the arrival of a captivating new book Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology, a unique collaboration has been formed. The Pokémon Company alongside the Natural History Museum will launch a pop-up shop stocked with special merchandise. Enthusiasts can look forward to products like stationery, plushes, and artwork all drawing from the institution's aesthetic. The big draw, however, will be a specially made Pikachu card, given as a gift with purchase for the pop-up. This shop will operate from on-site at the museum and online between late January and mid-April.

The Book That Inspires the Partnership

Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology represents a highly anticipated tome filled with beautiful illustrations that show Pokémon in their natural habitats. It's essentially like what an in-world scientist could produce after adventurers provide field notes, alternatively what Charles Darwin might have created had the famous islands teemed with flying-types instead of finches. A key appeal stems from the book's serious approach, treating Pokémon as worthy of subject for study. Author Yoshinari Yonehara together with artist Chihiro Kinoshita each possess doctorate degrees in animal behavior and ecology.

What Makes This Special Card Different

The company regularly for The Pokémon Company to release promos for big events or crossover partnerships. A lot such collector items often feature the iconic mouse Pokémon who serves as the series face. The factor setting this new museum card however, is the unusually large size. While exact measurements have not been publicly disclosed, its distribution will certainly be highly restricted, and customers able to get just one card with each transaction.

Curbing Speculator Activity

Per a company announcement, some of the pop-up items may also be available outside the institution itself. But, a wider release will only be select retailers within the United Kingdom. Critically, collectors cannot acquire this promo through the official web shop. While speculator demand is a given, the setup suggests they're going to have a difficult time stockpiling large numbers on this occasion. For those unable to attend, there is an alternative like fossil-themed display coming to Chicago in the coming months.

"All profits from purchases from the Museum shop and its online store, including these items, support the Natural History Museum’s non-profit work. This includes the efforts of 400 scientists who are scientific inquiry to discover answers to the global ecological crisis," the statement notes.