Pokémon x Natural History Museum London Review: Is It Worth Visiting?
Here is everything you need to know about the Pokemon Natural History Museum pop-up in London.
What Is the Pokémon x Natural History Museum Experience?
Announced in late 2025, the Pokemon Natural History Museum pop-up opened to the public in January 2026. It’s been hugely popular, with tickets selling out almost immediately, leading it to be extended multiple times.
The pop-up event will now be continuing beyond the 19th of April for a limited run - although no closing date has been announced.
It’s important to remember that this experience is definitely more of a pop-up shop than an exhibition, and although there are a few things to look at, these are not extensive.
This blog post will include photos from my own experience, and help you decide whether it’s worth visiting for yourself.
My Honest Review of the Pokémon Pop-Up
I am a huge Pokemon fan, and received my very first game aged just 7 years old. I’ve spent the following 25 years completely obsessed with the franchise and am always excited when a rare Pokemon event comes to the UK.
Obviously, I had to get tickets to the pop-up shop at the Natural History Museum in London.
My visit wasn’t until the end of its scheduled run, and I heard a lot of mixed opinions on the lead up to my visit. Some people were delighted by the chance to buy new Pokemon merchendise in London, while others were disappointed by the scope of the event and were hoping for more of an exhibition.
Fortunately I had my expectations in check when going in, and was expecting to see a shop with a limited amount of exhibition items to view.
I’m pleased to say that I had such a fun time exploring the pop-up with my partner. It was great to see the new merch in person, and we were definitely generous with our spending! The shop itself was busy but not too crowded, which I assume was helped by the ticketing system, and I saw a mixture of adults and children at the event.
Adults, you definitely won’t feel out of place here. I saw loads of delighted looking millennials milling around the shop so you’ll be right at home.
Although there wasn’t lots to see in terms of exhibits, there were a few things to view and I found them so interesting! The posters (that were also for sale) were all up on display in the entrance to the shop, and include spreads from the new Pokécology book. We spent ages looking at the detailed drawings and purchased a few of them to bring home too.
There’s also a detailed diorama outside the shop itself, which shows a variety of Pokemon in their wild habitats.
Best Things About the Experience
The best thing for me was being surrounded by lots of people who love Pokemon, and getting to see the merch up close. I really enjoyed the experience of viewing the Pokécology spreads, and the model outside was really cool too.
Of course, with it being a shop, I was relieved to find that it was well stocked with a good supply of the entire range. We definitely made the most of it and purchased lots of goodies to bring home, including plushies, posters and accessories.
Things You Should Know Before You Go
As this is no longer a ticketed event, make sure you’re prepared before you attend.
Queues may be long, especially at peak times like weekends and school holidays, so allow yourself plenty of time. You’ll also want to make sure that you book a free entrance ticket to the Natural History Museum in advance, in order to skip the longest queue to enter the museum.
You can book one of these tickets here.
If you can, I would recommend visiting on weekdays outside of the school holidays, which is when it’s likely to be most busy.
Accessibility information is available on the Natural History Museum website, where it claims to be fully accessible for people in wheelchairs and mobility scooters. The pop-up is located on the ground floor in the Red Zone of the museum, although it should be noted there is limited space inside shop itself.
Finally, bear in mind that customers are currently limited to purchasing 5 items each with no duplicates. If you want to buy more then make sure you take someone with you, who can purchase additional items separately.
Pokémon Merch at the Natural History Museum
Here is everything that my partner and I purchased at the Natural History Museum Pokemon pop-up, including how much I paid for each item.
My haul
Pikachu Tote Bag: £15
Pikachu and Friends Tote Bag: £15
Pikachu and Natural History Museum Plush: £35
Pokémon × Natural History Museum Mug: £15
Pokemon in Flight Poster: £10
Pokemon in Water Poster: £10
Set of Five Prints: £30
Pikachu at the Museum Card and Pokecology booklet: Free with any purchase
Is It Worth Visiting?
If you’re a big Pokemon fan, then this pop-up is absolutely worth visiting. I had so much fun seeing all of the Pokemon merch in person, and enjoyed the entire experience. It’s suitable for adults and children, and is said to be completely accessible (as described on the Natural History Museum website - I can’t vouch for this myself).
Casual fans might feel disappointed by the lack of things to see, so do remember that this is primarily a shop, with little else. Make sure you have some spending money with you so you can treat yourself to a few (or a lot) of Pokemon treats to bring home.
Above all, don’t forget to have fun! This is a limited time experience and won’t be around forever, so I say make the most of it while it’s here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Pokémon Shop at the Natural History Museum?
The original pop-up shop ran from the 26th of January until the 19th of April 2026. It will now continue beyond that date for a limited time.
Has the Pokémon pop-up been extended?
Yes, it’s now been extended for a limited run, although the closing date has not yet been announced.
Is the Pokémon pop-up suitable for adults?
Absolutely! Long time fans of all ages will love the pop-up (I certainly did).
Can you buy Pokémon merch without a ticket?
You can now. Initially this pop-up shop was a ticketed event only, but this is no longer in place. I would however recommend booking a free entry ticket to the Natural History Museum on their website, as there are often long queues to get inside.
How long does the experience take?
The pop-up is relatively small and doesn’t take long to walk around. Having said that, I would recommend setting aside an hour in order to make the most of the experience.
Is it worth visiting?
In my opinion, yes, this is totally worth visiting - especially if you have been a Pokemon fan for a long time. Pokemon events rarely come to the UK, so I’d encourage you to make the most of it while it’s here.