Summary
Pokemonfans in the United States will be able to visit the traveling Pokemon Fossil Museum, after The Pokemon Company announced that the once Japan-exclusive exhibit would be traveling west. This is an exciting endeavor for buddingPokemontrainers to mark on their calendars, but the museum’s US opening date is a significant wait away.
The expansive IP has made a gargantuan impact on the pop culture scene since its 90s debut, thriving outside its main pillars: the popular trading card game, Nintendo’s evolving video game series, and the ongoing anime. The franchise frequently collaborates with real-world chains to spread the love for cute pocket monsters, includingPokemon’s upcoming return to McDonald’s in at least one region. Despite the iconicPokemonstores and cafes mostly remaining exclusive to Japan, Western fans can now look forward to the fossil museum springing up in the wild.
The Pokemon Company confirmedthe Pokemon Fossil Museum would be hosting its first US exhibit at Chicago’s Field Museum in Illinois, but the attraction is not due to open until 22 May, 2026, which gives fans a full year to make preparations.The Pokemon Fossil Museum began its tour of Japan back in 2021, with the intended purpose to teach fans and visitors about Paleontology through pocket monsters, and interested parties can expect the exhibit to stay active between 1-4 months, following Japan’s pattern.
The Pokemon Fossil Museum Is Coming to the US in May 2026
The exhibition is not limited toall the Fossil Pokemon decorating the franchise to date, however, but rather a varied collection of “life-sized” replicas of the creatures’ skeletons that are being compared to the real fossils of the world. Fans can expect to feast their eyes on different-sized fossils, and they’ll be given the chance to compare the bone structures of the T-Rex and the Chicago Archaeopteryx next to Fossil Pokemon such as Tyrantrum and Archeops. Trainers have already received the US exhibition news well, with many fans noting they’ll be saving up to visit more than once, and the community was also happy to see creatures like Yanmega and Mamoswine included.
While thePokemonFossil Museum is expected to be a grand success in the States, another museum in Amsterdam isn’t experiencing the same fortune.The Van Gogh Museum fired employees related to aPokemonExhibition incidentrecently, regarding embezzling boxes of cards and passing on restricted information. The exhibit features pocket monsters drawn in the style of Vincent Van Gogh, and as an added treat, visitors can collect a limited-edition trading card.
