# Museum Street Art Exhibits London Museum Preserves Banksy’s Piranha Tank as Permanent Display By Amy Duong | Published 2025-09-02 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/piranha-tank References: [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/C-h2JJoMQVy)  [London Museum](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/londons-printworks) preserves Banksy’s Piranha Tank as permanent display in its upcoming Smithfield location, giving the 2024 installation a permanent home when the museum opens in 2026. First revealed on Ludgate Hill as part of an animal-themed series, the piece transformed a police sentry box into an aquarium lined with painted piranhas. After its short-lived public appearance, the box was relocated to Guildhall Yard and later secured in storage for conservation. Officials noted the work’s ability to capture public imagination and positioned it as a marker of London’s evolving creative identity. Its display will be part of a broader narrative that connects ancient graffiti to contemporary street art within the museum’s £220 million redevelopment. By placing the installation in dialogue with historical artifacts, the institution highlights how urban expression continues to shape the cultural character of the city. Image Credit: Banksy ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.6/10 - Popularity: 15% | Activity: 17% | Freshness: 47% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Permanent Street Art Exhibits:** The trend of preserving temporary street art pieces in permanent museum settings offers a unique way to explore the evolution of urban cultural identity. - **Historical Narratives Through Urban Expression:** Museums are integrating street art with ancient artifacts to create compelling narratives that trace the continuity of human expression across time. - **Cultural Investments in Urban Art:** Significant investments in street art displays by cultural institutions underline the importance of these works in defining modern creative landscapes. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Museums and Cultural Institutions:** Museums are increasingly incorporating street art into their collections, transforming how cultural narratives are presented and experienced. - **Urban Art Conservation:** The preservation and conservation of street art as a permanent display option highlight the growing focus on safeguarding the ephemeral nature of this art form. - **Creative Tourism:** The emphasis on street art within museums boosts the creative tourism industry by attracting visitors interested in the intersection of contemporary and historical art forms. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Tree-Integrated Mysterious Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tree-mural.md) - [Permanent London Art Installtions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/infinite-accumulation.md) - [Skateboard Design Museum Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skateboard-exhibition.md) - [Repurposed Museum Nightclub-In-Residence](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fabric-london.md) - [Hotel Art Openings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/claridges-hotel.md) - [Director-Celebrating Artful Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/world-of-tim-burton.md) - [Flag Obscured Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/banksy-waterloo-place.md) - [UK-Based Modern Art Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/relics-in-the-landscape.md) - [Renovated Zoology Museums](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grant-museum-of-zoology.md)