Pokémon Fossil Museum to Display Real and Fake Fossils in U.S. Next Year

The Pokémon Company has exciting news for fans in North America: the Pokémon Fossil Museum is set to make its debut outside of Japan, opening at Chicago's Field Museum on May 22, 2026. This unique exhibition will bring together the world of Pokémon and paleontology by displaying fabricated Pokémon "fossils" alongside real-world fossils of ancient lifeforms.

Visitors to the museum will have the chance to explore vibrant models of Pokémon, such as Tyrantrum and Archeops, positioned next to scientific casts of iconic Field Museum dinosaurs like SUE the T. rex and the Chicago Archaeopteryx. This juxtaposition offers a fascinating opportunity for Pokémon trainers and fossil enthusiasts alike to discover the differences and similarities between these creatures. The Field Museum invites you to ask yourself, "How many differences (and similarities) will you spot, Trainers?"

Pokémon Fossil Museum Virtual Tour

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For those unable to visit Japan or Chicago, The Pokémon Company and Toyohashi Museum of Natural History have collaborated to offer a virtual tour of the Pokémon Fossil Museum. This allows fans worldwide to explore the exhibit from the comfort of their homes, viewing a diverse collection of real and Pokémon fossils, ranging from a tyrannosaurus to a Tyrantrum.

In other Pokémon-related news, a recent incident in the UK saw a man arrested after police discovered a £250,000 (approximately $332,500) stash of stolen Pokémon cards. The cards were found following a raid by Greater Manchester Police at a home in Hyde, Tameside. A police spokesperson humorously referenced the Pokémon slogan, saying, "Gotta catch 'em all."