Pokemon Go Players Have a New, Incredibly Rare Shiny to Hunt (But Only for a Limited Time)

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Pokémon Go is known for adding Pokémon dressed in costumes, and while some costumes are basic, others are surprisingly creative. The newest costume, Excavator Pikachu, is a particularly cute example! It’s arriving in Pokémon Go on May 22nd as part of the Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibit’s debut in the United States and will be available for a long time – until April 11th, 2027. However, there’s a catch to getting your hands on this adorable Pikachu.

Pokemon Go often features Pokemon that are only found in certain areas, but the new Excavator Pikachu is taking it to another level. This cute, costumed Pikachu will only be available to trainers who visit the Field Museum in Chicago during its operating hours. The Pikachu will appear near the museum from May 22nd, 2026, to April 11th, 2027. If you don’t plan on being in Chicago, Illinois, you’ll have to find a way to get it – especially if you’re hoping to catch the rare Shiny version!

How to Get Excavator Pikachu in Pokemon Go

If you’re in or visiting Chicago, you’ll have a chance to catch Excavator Pikachu! It will be available in Pokémon Go during special events held at the Field Museum, from 9 AM to 5 PM Central Time. This is especially good news for Pokémon Go players in the US, as the events coincide with the 2026 Pokémon Go Fest in Chicago (June 5th-7th). However, tickets to the Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibit itself are expected to be very popular and difficult to get.

While the exhibit is certainly worth visiting, the Pokemon Go tie-in events don’t explicitly require a ticket to the Fossil Museum. The bonuses and encounters will be “available within the museum area,” which should mean you can participate if you are near, but not actually in, the museum. Here are all of the ways to encounter Excavator Pikachu in person at the Field Museum in Chicago:

  • Complete collab-themed Research Tasks, which will be available as Field Research from spinning stops near the Field Museum, as well as through special Timed Research available during museum business hours
  • Complete in-person Raids near the Field Museum in Chicago. Excavator Pikachu will be spawning in One-star Raids throughout the run of the Pokemon Fossil Museum exhibit

In short, you can encounter Excavator Pikachu in Raids or Research Encounters, but only if you’re in Chicago, near the Field Museum, during business hours. The newly added costumed Pokemon can be Shiny, so if you’re in the area, you can complete multiple Raids and Research tasks for a shot at Shiny Excavator Pikachu.

If you’re not going to Chicago between now and April 11th, 2027, what can you do? Unfortunately, Remote Raids aren’t going to be available for Excavator Pikachu. So, even if your Chicago-based Poke Pals are participating in these Raids, they won’t be able to invite you to join from afar. Hopefully, however, Excavator Pikachu should be available for trades. So your best bet to snag one of these extra-rare Pokemon will be to build up your friendship with Chicago-based friends so you can remote trade. And if you do happen to be in Chicago? Stock up on Excavator Pikachu, because chances are you’re about to be popular. Especially if you can get ahold of a few Shiny ones.

The Fossil Museum tie-in event and Excavator Pikachu will be available in Pokemon Go from May 22nd, 2026 through April 11th, 2027. That gives fans just about a year to participate in person or make friends to trade remotely with to snag this extremely rare new Pokemon.

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2026-05-22 16:13