A Banksy mural featuring a fish tank full of piranhas, installed overnight on a police sentry box in London's financial district in August 2024, has been acquired by the London Museum. The work was one of nine animal-themed pieces the artist created across the capital over nine consecutive days. After being removed by the City of London Corporation, the booth was displayed at Guildhall Yard and then placed in storage; it will go on permanent view in 2026 at the London Museum's new Smithfield location, part of a $280 million relocation project.
The piece matters because it represents a significant institutional acquisition of a contemporary street artwork by a major museum, bridging Roman-era graffiti and Banksy in the museum's collection. The piranhas mural was the most popular among the artist's 2024 London series, noted for its layered allusions to Damien Hirst's pickled shark and themes of surveillance and policing. Its preservation and planned display highlight the growing legitimacy and market value of street art, as well as the London Museum's ambition to attract two million annual visitors with its expanded space.