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To celebrate the launch of a captivating new book Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology, an exciting collaboration is underway. The Pokémon Company alongside the Natural History Museum will launch a temporary store featuring exclusive items. Enthusiasts will find products like stationery, plushes, and artwork that are drawing from the institution's aesthetic. For collectors, however, is a limited-edition Pikachu card, given as a gift with purchase at the pop-up. The store will operate both on-site at the museum to online from January 26 to April 19.

The Book Behind the Collaboration

Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology represents a highly anticipated tome packed with beautiful artwork depicting creatures in their natural habitats. The concept is what a Pokémon Professor might publish once trainers submit their data, or what Charles Darwin could have sketched if the Galapagos were populated by Pidgeys instead of finches. Part of the charm lies in the book's scholarly approach, presenting Pokémon as a legitimate scientific inquiry. Writer Yoshinari Yonehara and illustrator Chihiro Kinoshita both hold PhDs in ecology and behavioral science.

Why This Promo Card Different

It is common to issue special edition promos celebrating big events or crossover partnerships. Many such collector items often feature the famous electric rodent that acts as the series face. The factor setting this latest museum card however, is the unusually large size. While precise specs have not been publicly disclosed, availability will certainly be strictly limited, and customers limited to only a single card with each transaction.

Limiting Reseller Interest

According to a company statement, some of the pop-up items will also be sold beyond the museum walls. However, a wider release is slated for select retailers within the United Kingdom. Critically, collectors will not be able to purchase this promo through the online Pokémon Center. Although speculator demand is a given, it appears they will have a difficult time hoarding mass quantities on this occasion. If you're unable to attend, consider the upcoming fossil-themed display headed to Chicago later this year.

"Every penny from purchases made in the Museum shop and from its web shop, including Pokémon products, go toward the Natural History Museum’s charitable mission. That encompasses the research of 400 scientists who are conducting studies to discover solutions to the planetary emergency," the statement notes.