The exhibit, which comes from the collection of local YouTuber Leonhart, features memorabilia commemorating the video game sensation's 28-year history.
FRISCO, Texas — Have you ever wanted to be the best Pokémon that anyone has ever achieved? If so, you're probably one of the millions of Pokémon fans around the world.
Luckily, a new exhibit on the game series just opened at the National Video Game Museum in Frisco.
The exhibit was organized primarily with the help of Leigh Steinfeld, aka Leonhart, a DFW-based YouTuber who quit her job as a lawyer to focus on her YouTube channel opening packs of Pokémon cards. Steinfeld, 37, has been collecting Pokémon games, cards, and other memorabilia since she was 11 years old, all of which is now on display at the museum and will remain there for the next year or so.
The collection includes the original games, Pokémon Red and Green, as well as other games in their original boxes, as well as vintage Hasbro toys, including stuffed animals and smaller items such as pencils and erasers.
The museum will also have the original Nintendo 64 game “Pokémon Stadium” set up so visitors can play with their friends in the exhibit.
“People really love trying to catch them all with the cards and the game,” Steinfeld said of the reason for Pokemon's enduring popularity. “It's a great way to bond with your kids and have fun with your friends. Pokemon is an IP that can be enjoyed by all ages, and with new content constantly coming out, people keep coming back.”
Pokémon has also been a hugely popular anime for over 25 years, and the museum displays autographs of the voice actors from the original TV series from 1997. The walls around the exhibit also feature fun facts about the original creators of Pokémon, as well as photos, stats, and other information about the franchise.
Steinfeld shared more details about the exhibition opening in a video on his YouTube channel.