Pokémon GO ESA Event UK Where to Get Astronaut Pikachu has two UK locations, but they do not offer exactly the same version of the event. The Science Museum in London is the participating museum and runs the collaboration from October 4, 2026 until April 30, 2027. ESA ECSAT at Harwell joins only from October 4 to October 10.
The difference matters most for collectors. London is the UK option for Astronaut Pikachu raids with the special Location Background opportunity. Harwell gets the announced event gameplay during the shorter opening week, but ESA locations are explicitly excluded from Location Backgrounds.
Pokémon GO ESA Event UK Where to Get Astronaut Pikachu
Pokémon GO ESA Event UK Where to Get Astronaut Pikachu Image Scopely.
The clearest answer to Pokémon GO ESA Event UK Where to Get Astronaut Pikachu is the Science Museum in London. It is one of six European museums taking part in the long event and will host Astronaut Pikachu in one-star raids from October 4, 2026 through April 30, 2027.
The Science Museum is on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD. If you are travelling specifically for Pokémon GO, remember that the in-game event is location based. Check normal museum admission or visit arrangements separately before travelling, because access rules for the venue are not the same thing as Pokémon GO raid availability.
Science Museum London event dates and rewards
For the longest UK window, Pokémon GO ESA Event UK Where to Get Astronaut Pikachu points to London. The museum portion begins October 4 and continues until April 30, giving Trainers months to attempt the one-star raid rather than forcing a single weekend trip.
Successful in-person Astronaut Pikachu raids at participating museums can lead to a catch with the special Location Background. Astronaut Pikachu is also confirmed as Shiny-eligible. The official announcement does not give boosted Shiny odds or promise that every raid catch receives the background.
What happens at ESA ECSAT Harwell?
Harwell gives Pokémon GO ESA Event UK Where to Get Astronaut Pikachu a second answer during the first week. ESA ECSAT on the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire is included among the ESA locations receiving the announced collaboration gameplay from October 4 to October 10.
ESA ECSAT is at Fermi Avenue, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0FD. However, the official Pokémon GO event announcement does not turn this into a normal walk-in museum venue. ESA has separately announced an ECSAT Open Day for October 10 with registration, so check access arrangements before making a special journey to the site.
Can you get the Location Background at Harwell?
No. This is the key point in Pokémon GO ESA Event UK Where to Get Astronaut Pikachu. Pokémon GO says the ESA locations receive the event gameplay excluding Location Backgrounds. If you want Astronaut Pikachu with the special visit background, use the Science Museum in London rather than ECSAT Harwell.
Harwell is still relevant if the costume itself is your target and you can legitimately access the event area during the October 4 to October 10 window. But it should not be presented as a replacement for London when discussing the background collectible.
Extra UK gameplay from October 4 to October 10
The opening week makes Pokémon GO ESA Event UK Where to Get Astronaut Pikachu more useful than a single raid guide. From October 4 to October 10, the event adds Field Research and increased wild encounters around participating locations, with Pikachu, Clefairy, Magnemite, Starmie, Lunatone, Solrock, Elgyem and Blipbug in the announced wild pool.
The Science Museum also has the long-running Timed Research component throughout the wider event. Some research encounters at museums may have a Location Background, although Pokémon GO has not announced the individual tasks or exact encounter table before the event starts.
Which UK location should you choose?
- Science Museum, London: October 4, 2026 to April 30, 2027; Astronaut Pikachu raids; Timed Research; Location Background eligibility.
- ESA ECSAT, Harwell: October 4 to October 10; event gameplay; no Location Backgrounds; check site access and Open Day registration before travelling.
If you are planning one journey around Pokémon GO ESA Event UK Where to Get Astronaut Pikachu, London is the more complete choice. It has the much longer schedule and is the UK location tied to the special background opportunity, while Harwell is a short-window bonus location with different access considerations.
The official Pokémon GO event announcement confirms both UK sites and the background restriction. The short version of Pokémon GO ESA Event UK Where to Get Astronaut Pikachu is simple: Science Museum London for the full museum event and background chance, Harwell only for the shorter ESA-site gameplay window.
