Pokémon Fossil Museum to move from Japan to Chicago
The “Pokémon Fossil Museum” exhibition will be making its first-ever international appearance at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, USA.
The exhibition, which has been touring Japan since 2021, is scheduled to head to Chicago in 2026.
The “Pokémon Fossil Museum” is a unique and engaging exhibition that bridges the worlds of paleontology and the popular Pokémon franchise.
It was developed through a collaboration between Japan’s National Museum of Nature and Science, local museums across Japan, and The Pokémon Company International.
The exhibition aims to educate visitors of all ages about real-life paleontology by drawing fascinating parallels between Pokémon characters that are revived from fossils and actual prehistoric creatures that roamed the Earth millions of years ago.
Since its launch in 2021 at the Mikasa City Museum in Hokkaido, Japan, the “Pokémon Fossil Museum” has been met with significant acclaim during its tour across twelve museums throughout Japan.
By May 2025, the exhibition is projected to have attracted over one million visitors, demonstrating its broad appeal and success in engaging the public with scientific concepts through the Pokémon franchise.
At the Field Museum, visitors will have the opportunity to encounter life-size models of various “fossil Pokémon,” such as Omastar (based on ammonites), alongside impressive, life-size imaginary skeletons of Pokémon like Garchomp.
These fantastical creatures will be displayed in conjunction with iconic real-life fossils from the Field Museum’s extensive collection, including replicas of the museums massive Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton known as “SUE” and specimens of Archaeopteryx, a crucial transitional fossil linking the evolution of dinosaurs into birds.
The exhibition will feature guidance from “Professor Fossil” and his helpful assistant “Excavator Pikachu”, who will lead visitors through the connections between the fictional Pokémon and their real-world paleontological counterparts.
Scientists from the Field Museum will also contribute their expertise to enhance the educational experience.
Jaap Hoogstraten, Head of Exhibitions at the Field Museum, highlighted the surprising scientific basis of the Pokémon world, stating:
“The fact that Pokémon is rooted in real science is not something that most of us think about. By forefronting that aspect of the story we hope that Pokémon Fossil Museum will be a pathway to science for our visitors, especially budding paleontologists.”
The Field Museum is celebrating its 125th anniversary as a leading scientific institution and attracts 1.2 million visitors annually.
The museum is known for its extensive natural history collections and global research efforts. Its mission to connect nature and humanity aligns perfectly with the educational goals of the “Pokémon Fossil Museum”, making it an ideal venue for the exhibition’s North American debut.
The “Pokémon Fossil Museum” exhibition at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago will open on May 22nd, 2026.
Further updates and full details regarding the exhibition are expected to be announced in the run up to the opening date.
Source: Field Museum
Images: © Field Museum, © 2025 Pokémon. © 1995-2025 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc © 2022 National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo.
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