British museums are vying to permanently own the 'Trump baby' blimp


The giant balloon that depicted President Trump as a cantankerous, diaper-clad baby was a big hit when thousands of protesters took to the streets during Trump's U.K. visit. Apparently, it's not just the #resistance of Britain that thought the "Trump baby blimp" was fantastic — museums are hoping to add it to their collections.
The inflatable president is in high demand, with the British Museum and the Museum of London battling it out with other institutions who want to document the moment in protest history, The New York Times reported Friday.
While the British Museum wants to display the 20-foot balloon in an exhibition on the history of dissent and protest, the Bishopsgate Institute wants to keep the inflatable in its permanent collection of protest artifacts. The Design Museum in London and the Victoria and Albert Museum are also interested in collecting the balloon, which traveled from London to Edinburgh to protest Trump while he visited last week.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Kevin Smith, a Londoner who was part of the group that created the Trump baby, said that museums are not the only ones interested in making the project a more permanent fixture of Trump protests. He said the group has raised around $44,000 to take the balloon on a "Trump baby world tour." Read more at The New York Times.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictions
Speed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump sets 25% tariffs on auto imports
Speed Read The White House says the move will increase domestic manufacturing. But the steep import taxes could also harm the US auto industry.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump allies urge White House to admit chat blunder
Speed Read Even pro-Trump figures are criticizing The White House's handling of the Signal scandal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge: Nazis treated better than Trump deportees
speed read U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reaffirmed his order barring President Donald Trump from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US officials share war plans with journalist in group chat
Speed Read Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal conversation about striking Yemen
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada's Mark Carney calls snap election
speed read Voters will go to the polls on April 28 to pick a new government
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published