Banksy’s Piranhas Police Box Placed in Protective Storage Ahead of Museum Display

A striking Banksy artwork, which transformed a glass police sentry box into what appeared to be a tank of piranhas, has been placed into protective storage ahead of its debut at the London Museum’s new Smithfield site for permanent display, after the City of London Corporation voted to donate it to the museum. This is set to open in 2026.

The piece, first unveiled overnight on 11 August 2024, was part of the artist’s nine-day series of animal-themed interventions across the capital. By painting the windows of a long-standing police box on Ludgate Hill, Banksy cleverly morphed the booth into a surreal aquarium teeming with painted piranhas. The work quickly became a talking point, drawing crowds in the City’s financial district.

Following its appearance, the City of London Corporation temporarily relocated the police box to Guildhall Yard, and later to Guildhall’s South Ambulatory, in order to protect the artwork while its long-term future was decided. Now, under the care of the London Museum, the piece will be secured until it takes its place in a permanent public display.