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Pokémon Fossil Museum

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Pokémon Fossil Museum
Poster for the National Museum of Nature and Science's hosting of the exhibit (art by Hitoshi Ariga [ja]) featuring Pikachu at the center, with various Pokémon on the left and real-life prehistoric animals on the right
StatusActive
GenreExhibition
Begins4 July 2021 (2021-07-04)
CountryJapan
Organized byNational Museum of Nature and Science and host museums
PeopleDaisuke Aiba (general supervisor)
Websitewww.kahaku.go.jp/pokemon/index_en.html

The Pokémon Fossil Museum (Japanese: ポケモン化石博物館, Hepburn: Pokemon kaseki hakubutsukan) is a travelling exhibition based on the Pokémon media franchise, displaying illustrations and "life-size" sculpted renditions of the skeletons of fossil Pokémon, along with the actual fossils of the real-life prehistoric animals and other organisms on which they were based.[1][2][3] The exhibit was created by the National Museum of Nature and Science and The Pokémon Company.

The Pokémon Fossil Museum opened at the Mikasa City Museum in Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan, on 4 July 2021, and remained there until 20 September.[1][4] It has since travelled to other museums, and is on display at the Mifune Dinosaur Museum in Kumamoto Prefecture from 20 March to 23 June 2024.[1]

In July 2022, a virtual tour of the exhibit was made available online, with virtual reality (VR) headset compatibility.[2][4][5]

Overview

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The Pokémon media franchise, created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996, is centered on fictional creatures called "Pokémon". In the Pokémon video games and related media, the term "fossil Pokémon" is used to refer to both ancient Pokémon brought back to life from extinction by resurrecting their fossils, and their evolutions.[6]

Designed to educate children about fossils and dinosaurs, the Pokémon Fossil Museum features "life-size", three-dimensional sculpted models of the skeletons of fossil Pokémon, along with illustrations of the Pokémon and diagrams of their fictional skeletal structures;[2][3][7] alongside the Pokémon are illustrations and actual excavated fossils of their real-life prehistoric counterparts, with informational signs providing facts about the animals and organisms upon which the Pokémon were based.[2] The layout of the exhibition is intended to allow visitors to compare the fictional Pokémon with their real-life inspirations.[7] Some of the comparisons featured in the exhibit include Omanyte and ammonites;[2] Aerodactyl and pterosaurs;[2][5] Archen and Archaeopteryx;[6] Tyrantrum and Tyrannosaurus;[3][4] Aurorus and Amargasaurus;[8] and Bastiodon and ceratopsian dinosaurs like Triceratops.[2] Also featured are fossil Pokémon based on living fossils—extant taxon that cosmetically resemble related species from the fossil record—such as Kabuto and horseshoe crabs, and Relicanth and coelacanths.[5] Throughout the exhibit are images of "excavator Pikachu", a Pikachu wearing a hat with a fossil motif.[5][7]

History

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Entrance to the exhibit in the National Museum of Nature and Science in 2022

The Pokémon Fossil Museum was proposed by Daisuke Aiba, a senior researcher for the Mikasa City Museum.[6][9] In an interview with Oricon, Aiba stated, "Since I was a child, I have loved Pokémon and paleontology," and explained that he and the other organizers of the exhibit wanted to introduce paleontology to children through the use of fossil Pokémon.[6] Biological illustrator Genya Masukawa[10] and artist Hitoshi Ariga [ja][6] provided the illustrations for the exhibition.

The exhibition first opened at the Mikasa City Museum in Mikasa, Hokkaido, on 4 July 2021, and remained there until 20 September.[1][4] It then moved to the Shimane Nature Museum of Mt. Sanbe in Ōda, Shimane, from 9 October 2021 to 30 January 2022,[11] before travelling to the Toyohashi Museum of Natural History in Toyohashi, where it opened on 16 July 2022.[7] Due to rain, the opening ceremony was held inside the building, and featured a ribbon cutting attended by Toyohashi mayor Koichi Sahara, representative students from Futagawa Elementary School, and a costumed mascot of excavator Pikachu.[7] Additionally, four Pokéfuta (manhole covers decorated with drawings of Pokémon) were unveiled, with intentions to place them around the city.[7]

That same month, a virtual tour of the Pokémon Fossil Museum was made available online.[2][4][5] As well as being able to virtually explore the exhibition using a smartphone or computer, there is an option to navigate it using a virtual reality (VR) headset, with the website recommending the use of the Oculus Quest 2.[3][4]

The exhibit is on display at the Mifune Dinosaur Museum in Kumamoto Prefecture from 20 March to 23 June 2024.[1]

Attendance and reception

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On 10 October 2022, the total number of visitors to the Pokémon Fossil Museum at the Toyohashi Museum of Natural History surpassed 100,000, with the 100,000th family to attend being given a commemorative gift.[12] Toyohashi-born model Nashiko Momotsuki is among those who have attended the exhibition there.[13]

On 18 December 2022, the total number of visitors to the exhibit at the Ōita Prefectural Art Museum surpassed 10,000; the 10,000th family to attend received a stuffed toy as a souvenir.[14] On 5 January 2023, the total number of visitors to the Ōita exhibit surpassed 30,000.[15]

Melissa T. Miller of Nerdist, in an article about the virtual tour of the exhibit, wrote that it successfully demonstrates the influence of zoology on the design of Pokémon, and that, though the displays throughout the exhibit feature Japanese text, "they include enough pictures and obvious comparisons between the real-life animals and Pokémon to make it universally interesting."[5]

Dates at museums

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Museum Location Opened Closed Ref(s)
Mikasa City Museum Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan 4 July 2021 20 September 2021 [1][4]
Shimane Nature Museum of Mt. Sanbe Ōda, Shimane, Japan 9 October 2021 30 January 2022 [1][11]
National Museum of Nature and Science Ueno, Tokyo, Japan 15 March 2022 19 June 2022 [1][16]
Toyohashi Museum of Natural History Toyohashi, Japan 16 July 2022 6 November 2022 [1][7]
Ōita Prefectural Art Museum Ōita, Japan 10 December 2022 24 January 2023 [1][17]
Niigata Science Museum Niigata, Japan 4 March 2023 25 June 2023 [1]
Gunma Museum of Natural History Tomioka, Japan 15 July 2023 18 September 2023 [1]
23 September 2023 3 December 2023
Iwate Prefectural Museum Morioka, Japan 19 December 2023 3 March 2024 [1]
Mifune Dinosaur Museum Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan 20 March 2024 23 June 2024 [1]

See also

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  • Poképark — a travelling theme park that existed in 2005 and 2006

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "巡回展「ポケモン化石博物館」Pokémon Fossil Museum". Kahaku.go.jp. National Museum of Nature and Science. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Dinsdale, Ryan (13 July 2022). "Pokémon Fossil Museum Virtual Tour Lets You See the Japanese Exhibit For Yourself". IGN. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Blakemore, Erin (23 July 2022). "These Pokémon 'fossils' are intended to teach about real fossils". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Kuhnke, Oisin (14 July 2022). "You Can Now Visit Japan's Pokemon Fossil Museum Virtually". GameSpot. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Miller, Melissa T. (19 July 2022). "Take a Virtual Tour of Pokémon Fossils on Display in Japan". Nerdist. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e "ポケモン史上初の"骨格"公開に反響、「人も予算もない」地方博物館の意外な挑戦". Oricon News (in Japanese). 24 June 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g "話題の「ポケモン化石博物館」が豊橋に！ 「カセキポケモン」をとおして古生物学を楽しく学ぼう" [The much-talked-about "Pokémon Fossil Museum" is now in Toyohashi! Let's have fun learning about paleontology through "Fossil Pokemon"]. PRTimes.jp (in Japanese). 8 August 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  8. ^ "『ポケモン化石博物館』今夏より開催 ポケモンの骨格イメージした実物大型模型など展示" ["Pokemon Fossil Museum" to be held this summer, exhibiting full-size models of Pokemon skeletons and more]. Oricon News (in Japanese). 20 April 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  9. ^ "＜伸びゆく君へ＞やりたい仕事、自分の中に答え 三笠市立博物館主任研究員・相場大佑さん". Hokkaido Shimbun (in Japanese). 27 September 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  10. ^ Amano, Aya (28 April 2022). "ポケモンの「骨格」､ご存じですか 「ポケモン化石博物館」の舞台裏" [Do you know the "skeleton" of a Pokémon? Behind the scenes at the "Pokémon Fossil Museum"]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  11. ^ a b ""ポケモン化石博物館"が国立科学博物館ほかで開催決定。カセキポケモンと実際の化石の違いを見比べて学べちゃう！". Famitsu (in Japanese). 7 January 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  12. ^ "ポケモン企画展が来場１０万人突破 豊橋市自然史博物館で開催中" [Pokemon Special Exhibition Surpasses 100,000 Visitors at Toyohashi City Museum of Natural History]. Chunichi Shimbun (in Japanese). 12 October 2022. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  13. ^ "桃月なしこ"攻めのグラビア"に「かっこよくて感動しました！」【秘蔵カット到着】". Yahoo! News (in Japanese). 4 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  14. ^ "「ポケモン化石博物館」入場者１万人突破 県立美術館で開催中 大分". Yahoo! News (in Japanese). 18 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  15. ^ "大分県立博物館「ポケモン化石博物館」、来館者数3万人突破". Yahoo! Japan (in Japanese). 10 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  16. ^ "巡回展「ポケモン化石博物館」が国立科学博物館でついに開催" [Traveling exhibition "Pokémon Fossil Museum" is finally held at the National Museum of Nature and Science]. Time Out Tokyo (in Japanese). 4 March 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  17. ^ "ポケモンと恐竜の化石を比較！「ポケモン化石博物館」初日からにぎわう 大分". Yahoo! Japan (in Japanese). 10 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
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