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To celebrate the launch of the fascinating new book Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology, an exciting collaboration is underway. Pokémon's creators and London's Natural History Museum will launch a pop-up shop featuring exclusive merchandise. Enthusiasts can look forward to products like stationery, plushes, and artwork that are drawing from the museum's theme. 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 online between late January and mid-April.

The Book Behind the Collaboration

Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology represents a highly anticipated volume filled with beautiful artwork that show Pokémon in their natural habitats. It's essentially like what an in-world scientist could produce after trainers submit their data, or a naturalist's journal might have created had the famous islands teemed with Pidgeys rather than birds. Part of the charm stems from the book's serious treatment, presenting Pokémon as worthy of subject for inquiry. Writer Yoshinari Yonehara and artist Chihiro Kinoshita each possess PhDs in animal behavior and ecology.

What Makes This Promo Card Stand Out

The company regularly for The Pokémon Company to release cards celebrating major tournaments and crossover partnerships. A lot of these collector items typically highlight the iconic electric rodent that acts as the franchise mascot. The factor setting this latest promotion apart is its unusually large size. While precise specs were not publicly disclosed, availability will certainly be highly restricted, with fans limited to just one card with each transaction.

Curbing Speculator Interest

According to an official statement, a portion of the pop-up items will also be sold beyond the museum walls. However, a wider release will only be select retailers in the UK. Importantly, collectors will not be able to purchase this promo through the official web shop. While reseller interest is inevitable, the setup suggests they will have a difficult time stockpiling large numbers this time around. If you're unable to attend, there is the upcoming Pokémon Fossil exhibit headed to the Windy City later this year.

"Every penny from purchases from the Museum shop and from its online store, including these items, support the Natural History Museum’s non-profit work. That encompasses the efforts of hundreds of researchers dedicated to scientific inquiry to discover answers to the planetary emergency," it notes.