The Donald Trump baby blimp has been re-inflated by a London museum as it attempts to find its “final resting place”.
The huge inflatable depicting the former US president in a nappy and clutching a mobile phone underwent a test inflation by the Museum of London to check if it is structurally sound, how long it holds air and to make any small repairs.
It last took to the skies above Parliament Square during protests over Mr Trump’s state visit to the UK in June 2019.
The balloon was gifted to the Museum of London in January 2021, and the institution hopes it will go on show at their new home in West Smithfield, which is due to open in 2026.
“It is always a challenge to preserve objects that are meant to be short-lived like the Trump blimp,” a spokesperson from the Museum of London said.
“It was made to be flown over Parliament Square during the then president Trump’s visit to London in 2019 – a quick, flexible and visible icon, as opposed to the permanent statues in Parliament Square made from the much more durable materials.
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“We have worked together with scientists at University College London and the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, to analyse the composition of the plastic … The blimp is made from PVC material, it is soft and flexible and very thin, much like a giant beach ball.
“Plastics age and break down in sometimes unexpected ways, so this will help us establish how we can best preserve it in the long-term as part of our collection.”
The inflation is the final test as the balloon joins other pieces in the museum’s protest collection, including objects relating to the suffrage movement, and banners, flags and placards from protests for more accessible public transport.
