Four Van Gogh Museum employees suspended due to misconduct during Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum collaboration

The Pokémon Company International’s collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, which began September 28th of 2023, was quickly overwhelmed with issues related to its limited Van Gogh x Pokémon merchandise and overcrowding within the museum. Scalpers wasted no time acquiring and flipping merchandise for hundreds of dollars on resale sites like eBay; the most egregious item was perhaps the limited edition “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” promo card, which was originally available free in-person at the Van Gogh Museum and free with online Pokémon Center orders of Van Gogh-themed Pokémon merchandise. The museum stopped giving out the card in mid-October due to safety concerns. Getting tickets for the exhibit in the Van Gogh Museum also became difficult due to overwhelming demand. Tickets sold out weeks ahead when the collab was announced in September, and patrons reported being offered double the price for their ticket inside.

Among this controversy surrounding the exhibit, The Van Gogh Museum has confirmed that at least four employees have been suspended and will not be returning due to breaking procedures and codes of conduct for staff. The employees, who were removed in mid-December, are those who worked in operational services, such as security guards, coatroom attendees, and cashiers. The museum states one of the workers suspended had worked there for 25 years. Anonymous museum employees told Dutch newspapers that one of the suspended staff members stole an entire box of the “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” promo cards, while others allegedly informed guests about when to purchase tickets.

The in-person Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum collaboration ended on January 7th, with all the Van Gogh merchandise on the Pokémon Center’s website having been long sold out. The Van Gogh Museum did indicate during the promotion that more “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” cards would be coming to Dutch retailers sometime in 2024, though no official details have been announced.

 

Yeah, scalpers are some of the worst people. I hope things work out for the employees.

 

Screw Scalpers. All I'll say.