{"id":803734,"date":"2026-09-18T17:37:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T22:37:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=803734"},"modified":"2026-09-18T17:37:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T22:37:31","slug":"esa-and-the-pokemon-company-international-reveal-europe-wide-exhibition-and-astronaut-pikachu-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=803734","title":{"rendered":"ESA and The Pok\u00e9mon Company International reveal Europe-wide exhibition and astronaut Pikachu experience"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<header class=\"entry article__block\">\n\t<span class=\"pillar article__item\">Agency<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>19\/09\/2026<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span><span id=\"viewcount\">77<\/span><small> views<\/small><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><span id=\"ezsr_total_27530319\">1<\/span><small> likes<\/small><\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"abstract article__block article__item\">\n<p>The European Space Agency (ESA) and The Pok\u00e9mon Company International (TPCI) have launched an official collaboration to celebrate World Space Week 2026 from 4\u201310 October 2026.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article__block\">\n<figure class=\"article__image\"><figcaption class=\"image__caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPok\u00e9mon x ESA collaboration key art<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As a special element of the collaboration, a Pikachu plush travelled to the International Space Station during ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot\u2019s mission. It spent 67 days in orbit, from 11 April to 17 June 2026, completing approximately 1040 orbits.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The much-anticipated collaboration will also bring a temporary exhibition centred on Space and Pok\u00e9mon to ESA sites and major museums across Europe, alongside exclusive merchandise and a special Pok\u00e9mon GO event.\u00a0 The programme is designed to inspire curiosity about space exploration among audiences of all ages. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInspiring future generations is a key part of ESA\u2019s mission. Through this collaboration with Pok\u00e9mon, we are unlocking new ways for people across Europe to connect with space through a unique and engaging experience,\u201d says ESA\u2019s Director General Josef Aschbacher. \u201cBy taking space exploration beyond traditional settings, we hope to ignite curiosity, spark a sense of wonder about our Universe and encourage people of all ages to discover the opportunities that space offers for the future.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u201cEvery Pok\u00e9mon journey begins with a sense of wonder about what lies beyond the world you know. From distant regions to encounters that reach into outer space, that spirit of discovery has always been part of being a Pok\u00e9mon Trainer. Collaborating with ESA opens a new frontier for fans, bringing together the world of Pok\u00e9mon and the wonder of space for visitors at locations across Europe.\u201d said Mathieu Galante, senior director of licensing at The Pok\u00e9mon Company International.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article__block\">\n<h2 class=\"heading\">  A unique ESA x Pok\u00e9mon exhibition <\/h2>\n<p>The cornerstone of the collaboration is a family-friendly brand-new exhibition, co-created by ESA and Pok\u00e9mon, blending real scientific content with imaginative visual storytelling.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Through themed panels, visitors will explore key aspects of Europe&#8217;s space activities, discovering, among other things, how Europe launches missions, supports astronauts aboard the International Space Station, studies the Sun, and explores the Solar System and the wider Universe.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Selected panels incorporate Pok\u00e9mon characters, adding a playful and engaging dimension to scientific topics.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article__block\">\n<h2 class=\"heading\">Launch across ESA sites and museums in Europe <\/h2>\n<figure class=\"article__image article__image--right\"><figcaption class=\"image__caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSophie Adenot with Astronaut Pikachu plush at the European Astronaut Centre<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The exhibition will debut during ESA Open Days 2026 across ESA establishments:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ESA Headquarters, Paris, France: 19-20 September 2026\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>ESRIN, Rome, Italy: 25 September 2026\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands: 26\u201327 September 2026\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany: 2 October 2026\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>ESAC, Villanueva de la Ca\u00f1ada, Spain: 3 October 2026\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>ECSAT, Harwell, United Kingdom: 10 October 2026\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Following its launch, the exhibition will also be present in different venues and for different events across Europe, where it will be hosted from early October 2026 until April 2027.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cit\u00e9 de l\u2019espace, Toulouse, France\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Valencia, Spain\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Deutsches Museum, Nuremberg, Germany\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Euro Space Center, Transinne, Belgium\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Lucca Comics &amp; Games, Lucca, Italy\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Science Museum, London, United Kingdom\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Space Expo, Noordwijk, Netherlands\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Visit the page dedicated to the collaboration on the ESA website to learn more about the exhibition content and related missions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article__block\">\n<h2 class=\"heading\">Exclusive merchandise and collectible content <\/h2>\n<p>The collaboration will also introduce exclusive ESA x Pok\u00e9mon merchandise, a range of apparel, accessories and collectibles will be available through ESA and Pok\u00e9mon retail channels, as well as in partner museum shops.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Designed as an extension of the visitor experience, the collection will carry the spirit of exploration beyond the exhibition.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article__block\">\n<h2 class=\"heading\">Extending the experience with Pok\u00e9mon GO V2 <\/h2>\n<p>The collaboration will also extend into the digital world through a Pok\u00e9mon GO in-game activation inspired by ESA x Pok\u00e9mon. From 4 October 2026 to 30 April 2027, Trainers visiting participating science and space museums across Europe will be able to discover special Pok\u00e9mon GO gameplay inspired by the wonders of space, including encounters with Astronaut Pikachu.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Visitors to participating museums will be able to take part in a range of in-game activities, including One-Star Raids featuring Astronaut Pikachu, Timed Research and special Pok\u00e9mon encounters. Some Pok\u00e9mon encountered through these activities may feature a special Location Background commemorating their visit.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>From 4-10 October 2026, additional event-themed gameplay will be available, including Field Research and increased wild\u00a0Pok\u00e9mon spawns at participating museum locations. All the above gameplay, excluding Location Backgrounds, will be available at ESA locations across Europe from 4 October to 10 October, 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For more information about Research in Pok\u00e9mon GO visit: <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article__block\">\n<h2 class=\"heading\">About ESA <\/h2>\n<p>The European Space Agency provides Europe\u2019s gateway to space.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe\u2019s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>ESA has 23 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia are Associate Members.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>ESA has established formal cooperation with three Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article__block\">\n<h2 class=\"heading\"> About The Pok\u00e9mon Company International <\/h2>\n<p>The Pok\u00e9mon Company International manages the Pok\u00e9mon property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pok\u00e9mon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment and the official Pok\u00e9mon website. Pok\u00e9mon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children\u2019s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, please visit www.pokemon.co.uk.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article__block\">\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><b>About the Cit\u00e9 de l\u2019espace\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>\nTo spark curiosity, inspire a desire to learn more, foster careers in science, and make space, astronomy and scientific culture accessible to all \u2013 these are the aims of the Cit\u00e9 de l\u2019espace. As Europe\u2019s leading centre for promoting space and astronomy to the general public, the Cit\u00e9 de l\u2019espace is a facility run by Toulouse M\u00e9tropole. It opened in 1997 on the initiative of the City of Toulouse, with the support of the Occitanie Pyr\u00e9n\u00e9es-M\u00e9diterran\u00e9e Region and its co-founders, CNES, Airbus Defence and Space, M\u00e9t\u00e9o-France and the French Ministry of National Education , joined by Thales Alenia Space, Caisse des D\u00e9p\u00f4ts et Consignations, Caisse d\u2019Epargne de Midi as well as : ESA, Canop\u00e9, TOULOUSE III Paul-Sabatier University, CNRS, OMP, IRAP, Safran and Onera.\u00a0<br \/>Info: www.cite-espace.com\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><b>About the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias<\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The City of Arts and Sciences is a spectacular cultural and architectural complex in Valencia. Stretching almost two kilometres along the former Turia riverbed, the site is surrounded by gardens and reflective pools. The complex includes science museum, planetarium and 3D digital cinema, aquarium, opera house, making it an ideal destination for visitors of all ages. The Science Museum is a highly interactive space dedicated to science and technology, with exhibitions and workshops designed to engage visitors through hands-on experiences.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Info: https:\/\/cac.es\/en\/museu-de-les-ciencies\/\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><b>About Deutsches Museum Nuremberg\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>At Nuremberg, the newest branch of the Deutsches Museum the future of science and technology is explored. In the &#8220;Space &amp; Time&#8221; exhibition area, spaceflight is presented as a field shaped by technology, visions, and responsibility: real spacecraft, interactive exhibits, and visions explore life beyond Earth, from satellites and lunar bases to Mars missions, while also asking how humanity will use and shape the cosmos.&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Info: https:\/\/www.deutsches-museum.de\/en\/nuernberg\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><b>About the Euro Space Center\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The Euro Space Center is an educational space-themed science museum and amusement park located in Transinne, Belgium, dedicated to space exploration and astronaut training. Through interactive exhibits, simulators and immersive programmes, visitors can discover the challenges of human spaceflight and experience aspects of astronaut training first hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Info: https:\/\/www.eurospacecenter.be\/en\/\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><b>About Lucca Comics &amp; Games\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Lucca Comics &amp; Games is Europe&#8217;s largest annual festival dedicated to comics, gaming and fantasy imagery, held in the historic walled town of Lucca, Italy. The next milestone 60th-anniversary edition will take place from 28 October 1 November 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Info: https:\/\/www.luccacomicsandgames.com\/\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><b>About the Science Museum\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The\u202fScience Museum in London\u202fis one of five national museums in the Science Museum Group, the world\u2019s leading group of science museums that share and care for an internationally-significant collection of scientific, technological and medical achievements from across the globe. Over the last century the Science Museum has grown in scale and scope, inspiring visitors with free galleries and exhibitions covering topics as diverse as space, robots, vaccines and the future of food. The Science Museum was named a winner of the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year prize for 2020.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Info: https:\/\/www.sciencemuseum.org.uk\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><b>About Space Expo\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>\nSpace Expo is the space museum of the Netherlands, located in Noordwijk, it is a fun and educational outing for the whole family! In the exhibition, you are introduced to the wondrous world of space and space travel. From designing and building space missions on Earth to the launch into space! There is plenty to see, do, and discover. Walk through the International Space Station (ISS), launch a rocket, and touch a real meteorite. Admire unique masterpieces such as a moon rock and Andr\u00e9 Kuipers&#8217; original Soyuz capsule.\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>Info: space-expo.nl\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"share button-group article__block article__item\">\n<p><button id=\"ezsr_27530319_6_5\" class=\"btn ezsr-star-rating-enabled\" title=\"Like\">Like<\/button><\/p>\n<p id=\"ezsr_just_rated_27530319\" class=\"ezsr-just-rated hide\">Thank you for liking<\/p>\n<p id=\"ezsr_has_rated_27530319\" class=\"ezsr-has-rated hide\">You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esa.int\/About_Us\/Branding_and_Partnerships\/ESA_and_The_Pokemon_Company_International_reveal_Europe-wide_exhibition_and_astronaut_Pikachu_experience?rand=771654\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Agency 19\/09\/2026 77 views 1 likes The European Space Agency (ESA) and The Pok\u00e9mon Company International (TPCI) have launched an official collaboration to celebrate World Space Week 2026 from 4\u201310&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":803735,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-803734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ESA"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=803734"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803734\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/803735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=803734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=803734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=803734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}