Chicago Field Museum shares first look at Pokemon Fossil Museum exhibit team

Chicago Field Museum shares first look at Pokemon Fossil Museum exhibit team

The Field Museum has shared an early look at the scientists featured in the upcoming Pokémon Fossil Museum, opening May 22, 2026. The special exhibition blends Pokémon and paleontology, showcasing fossil Pokémon alongside real excavation tools, soundscapes, and displays featuring real-world researchers as illustrated guides.

Among the featured scientists are Akiko Shinya, Chief Fossil Preparator known for her work on SUE the T. rex and her favorite fossil Pokémon Shieldon; Arjan Mann, Assistant Curator of Early Tetrapods who studies ancient amphibians and favors Rampardos; and Jingmai O’Connor, Associate Curator of Fossil Reptiles whose research on early birds parallels Pokémon like Archeops. The exhibit promises to bridge science and fandom, offering a rare crossover between real prehistoric life and the imaginative world of Pokémon fossils.

Source: Chicago Field Museum