— A special visitor made a secret trip to the International Space Station earlier this year to spark interest in the European Space Agency (ESA) and its activities.

As revealed on Saturday (Sept. 19), Pikachu spent 67 days on board the orbiting outpost from April 11 to June 17. The best known of all the Pokémon — in the form of a plush toy — the electrified yellow mouse arrived at the space station on a Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft and returned to Earth on board a SpaceX Dragon capsule.

Dressed in a custom white spacesuit with his own mission patch, Pikachu's stay occurred during ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot's still ongoing mission. The announcement of the doll's 1,040 laps around Earth has now kicked off a tour of a different type — a traveling exhibition focused on space and Pokémon that will visit ESA sites and major museums across Europe.

The first stop began Saturday as part of ESA's Open Days at its headquarters in Paris, France.

"Through this collaboration with Pokémon, we are unlocking new ways for people across Europe to connect with space," Josef Aschbacher, ESA's Director General, said in a statement. "By 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."

Exhibition, activations and merch

The new, family-friendly ESA exhibition incorporates the Pokémon characters to engage the public in space and other scientific topics.

At the agency's headquarters Saturday, among other displays, was a statue of Pikachu dressed in the same style spacesuit as the one worn by the plush flown to the space station. A freestanding panel introducing the Pokémon collaboration, titled "Attention Trainers..." also featured an illustration of Astronaut Pikachu.

"Every Pokémon 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 Pokémon Trainer," said Mathieu Galante, senior director of licensing at The Pokémon Company International. "Collaborating with ESA opens a new frontier for fans, bringing together the world of Pokémon and the wonder of space for visitors at locations across Europe."

The Pokémon-adorned panels explore how Europe launches missions, supports astronauts on the International Space Station, studies the Sun and extends out into the Solar System and the wider universe.

In addition to the touring exhibition, the collaboration will also extend into the digital world through a Pokémon GO in-game activation. Beginning during World Space Week on Oct. 4 through April 30, 2027, trainers (users of the app) visiting participating science and space museums across Europe will find special Pokémon GO gameplay inspired by the wonders of space, including encounters with Astronaut Pikachu.

Some Pokémon encountered through one-star raids, timed research and other activities may feature a special location background commemorating their visit. During World Space Week, the United Nations-led celebration of the start of the Space Age, additional event-themed gameplay will be available, including Field Research and increased wild Pokémon spawns at participating museum locations.

All of the gameplay, excluding the location backgrounds, will also be available at ESA's locations across Europe from Oct. 4 to 10.

Exclusive ESA x Pokémon merchandise, including a range of apparel, accessories and collectibles will be available through both ESA and Pokémon retail channels, as well as in partner museum shops.

Gotta catch 'em all

After this weekend's stop in Paris, the Pokémon exhibition will travel to other ESA facilities, including the ESA Centre for Earth Observation (ESRIN) in Rome on Sept. 25 and the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, Sept. 26-27.

Then in October, the tour will continue at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany on the 2nd; the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) in Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain on the 3rd; and the European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) in Harwell, United Kingdom on the 10th.

The displays will then visit museums and other venues through April, including: Cité de l'espace in Toulouse, France; Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia, Spain; Deutsches Museum in Nuremberg, Germany; Euro Space Center in Transinne, Belgium; Lucca Comics & Games in Lucca, Italy; Science Museum in London, United Kingdom and Space Expo in Noordwijk, Netherlands.