As the museum stated in a press release, they collaborated with scientists from University College London and the University of Ljubljana to analyze the composition of the plastic. The analysis is supposed to determine how to preserve the balloon in the long term. It was first blown up in protest at Trump’s visit to London in 2019, and was created by a British artist Matthew Bonner.

The problem will be to protect the plastic from decay“The balloon is made of PVC material, which is soft and flexible and very thin, much like a giant beach ball. Plastic ages and breaks down in sometimes unexpected ways, so this will help us figure out how we can best preserve it as part of our long-term collections,” were also recorded in the museum.

According to the British BBC, the balloon was inflated by experts at a specialist company in Chelmsford to check for any necessary repairs on the balloon. The Museum of London hopes to put the balloon on display at its new home in London’s West Smithfield, which is expected to open its doors in 2026.

The balloon depicts Trump as a baby wearing diapers and holding a cell phone. The balloon was also used during protests in Ireland in 2019. However, it was banned from rising above the then president’s golf course in Turnberry, Scotland.

The balloon was gifted to the Museum of London in January 2021. The test inflation is the final step that will help the museum decide how to display the balloon. At the same time, the London Museum also stated that preserving the balloon is a challenge, as it was made for “short-term use”.

British humor at workWhen the museum acquired the balloon in 2021, it called it an “extraordinary and imaginative idea” that reflected how Londoners use satire.

They plan to display the balloon as part of the museum’s protest collection, along with items related to the suffrage movement and banners from protests for more accessible public transportation.