A Guide to Where to Find All The Banksy London Locations (2024)

Banksy is the most well known street artist of all time and one of the most well known artists of our generation. Not much is known about Banksy except that he’s from Bristol where his pieces started appearing in the 1990s. There’s a huge amount of interest in Banksy’s art and people are always curious about where to find his pieces. Although he’s popped up around the world and created pieces in many different countries, this article will highlight some of his pieces in London specifically with a detailed location and exact information on where to find the piece so do read on for all the Banksy London locations. The Banksy London pieces are well known but as you’d expect with any street art, they do get damaged and removed. At the bottom of the article there’s a section on some of the more well known-pieces that have been removed.

Who is Banksy?

I’m assuming you found this article because you’re already interested in Banksy and because you’re looking to find out how to see some of his pieces. BUT, if that’s not the case then let me do a little explaining as to who Banksy is.

Banksy is a street artist from England, Bristol specifically, who’s been active on the street art scene since the 1990s. His pieces are often satirical and usually comment on current political/societal issues and he’s known for his distinctive stenciling technique. He’s chosen to remain anonymous for decades now and while there are theories as to who he is, nothing has actually been confirmed. Because of his success he does now have business partners who presumably know who he is but they’re keeping it tight and it’s not been leaked.

Banksy’s pieces are worth incredible amounts these days. A piece sold for 9.9 million pounds during auction in October 2019 and because of this, pieces get removed from the public very quickly. There are numerous pieces that have been removed from buildings and streets where they were created only to be sold during an auction.

There’s a number of copy cats and because nobody knows who Banksy really is it can sometimes be hard to distinguish his pieces. There’s a lot of information out there and it can be hard to verify it. Banksy does have an Instagram and an official website where he announces projects so if you’re looking for information straight from the horses’ mouth so to speak then these would be the best outlets.

If you’re interested in more information about Banksy I’d highly recommend checking out the documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop”.

Where can you find Banksy pieces in London?

While some locations have a higher concentration of Banksy pieces there’s no real hot spot. A lot of the remaining pieces are spread throughout the city. If you’re super limited on time while visiting London I’d recommend going for the ones that are grouped together. Shoreditch has 5 pieces within a 5 minute walking distance in addition to the pink car installation. The restored Snoring Copper is fairly close by as well. The 2 Basquiat pieces are right beside each other at the Barbican Centre with the I Love London rat about a 10 minute walk from there. Graffik Gallery in Notting Hill has two of them right outside of their door as well and there’s one down the street from those 2 pieces.

Animal Series

In early August 2024, Banksy appeared in London again with a new series of prints. There’s been 6 pieces so far and they’re all animal related. They’re all blank stencils.

The first of these pieces is of a goat balancing on a beam that’s part of the actual building. This can be found on the side of the Caxton Name Plate Manufacturing Co Ltd building in Richmond TW9 3AP. It’s close to the Kew Bridge. This piece appeared on August 5, 2024.

The second of these pieces is of two elephants reaching out to each other with their trunks. This is painted on two bricked-up windows on a house in Chelsea. This can be found on a building at Edith Terrace/ Edith Grove junction in Chelsea. This piece appeared on August 6, 2024.

The third of these pieces is of three elephants swinging on a bridge. This is painted on the side of a bridge in the Brick Lane area. It can be found specifically close to the intersection of Brick Lane and Grimsby Street. This piece appeared on August 7, 2024.

The fourth of these pieces was of a wolf howling. It was painted on a satellite dish, so it looked like a wolf howling towards a moon, which was located on a roof in Peckham but it was stolen by two masked men on a ladder within hours. This piece appeared on August 8, 2024.

The fifth of these pieces is of a pair of pelicans eating fish. One of them is eating a stencil fish but the second one is eating the fish that’s part of the signage of the business. This piece can be found right above the sign of the Bonners Fish Bar located at 144 Northcote Rd, London E17 7EB. This piece appeared on August 9, 2024.

Tree – Hornsey Road

Location: Christie Court, Hornsey Rd, Finsbury Park, London N19 4HS
When was it painted: March 2024
Closest tube station: Upper Holloway Station, Finsbury Park Station, Archway Station are all 15-20 minute walk from the piece but buses will get you closer for this one

Arguably one of the bigger pieces on this list at almost two stories tall. It’s covered by plexiglass and wood frame now, and the area is fenced off, since somebody threw paint on it only a few days after it appeared. It’s still viewable but if you’re looking to get a photograph you have to work the angles a little. If you walk down towards the bottom of the fencing, so that you’re looking at the piece head on, you’ll be able to get a pretty decent picture straight through the fencing.

The piece itself is tied into the tree that’s planted right in front of the wall. It’s a large splash of green paint that runs down the wall to almost look like the tree is full again and not just branches. There’s a woman standing to the bottom left with a spray painter as if to indicate that she’s the one who painted it.

Love Rat – London Bridge

Location: Underpass beneath London Bridge where it meets Tooley Street
When was it painted: Unknown
Closest tube station: London Bridge, accessed by the Northern and Jubilee lines

The rats are one of Banksy’s most recognizable pieces and the one that you’ll be able to find in many different locations not just in London but elsewhere too. This one is located across the underpass from where the London Bridge Experience and Ice Cream Shop can be found. It’s quite low to the ground so you’ll need to bend down to see it head on.

Designated Graffiti Area

Location: In the beer yard of Cargo located on 83 Rivington Street in Shoreditch
When was it painted: Early 2000s
Closest tube station: Old Street, accessed by the Northern line

One of the best preserved Banksy creations is actually inside a club in Shoreditch. The beer yard of Cargo nightclub features 2 Banksy pieces (the second one is below). The first piece shows a security guard holding a leash for a fluffy poodle. They’re standing next to a sign that says” “By order, National Highways Agency, this wall is a designated graffiti area, please take your litter home.”

The piece is covered and well protected. With the lights and decor of the yard it’s also one of the prettiest pieces on this list.

Worth noting for both this piece and the Guard Dog and His Master’s Voice piece is that they’re located within the property of the Cargo nightclub so their opening hours do apply. We’ve walked past it when the yard’s been locked and you won’t have access to the pieces in those cases. I couldn’t find the hours online but late afternoon/evening would be an ideal time to check them out.

Guard Dog and His Master’s Voice

Location: In the beer yard of Cargo located on 83 Rivington Street in Shoreditch
When was it painted: Early 2000s
Closest tube station: Old Street, accessed by the Northern line

Royal Family – Crazy Beat

Location: 129 Stoke Newington Church Street, on the side of the building
When was it painted: Roughly 2001
Closest tube station: There isn’t really a close tube station to this piece and it’s probably the one most out of the way on this list but you can take the overground to Stoke Newington railway stop

This piece featuring Banksy’s take on the Royal family on the balcony were they often appear for the public can still be found on Stoke Newington Church Street in North London. It’s been around since 2001 but has almost been painted over several times.

In 2009 in particular, Hackney Council was in the process of covering the art work in black paint but the building’s owner intervened and stopped them but you can see the black paint all around the piece still. The family remains in tact but the the whole piece that showcases the family standing on a balcony in a palace type setting has been painted over.

The piece, or a version of it, was later used by Blur on the cover of their 2003 single titled Crazy Beat.

Thomas the Tank & Little Rat – Graffik Gallery

Location: Graffik Gallery, 284 Portobello Road, by the stairs down to the basement
When was it painted: Unknown
Closest tube station: Ladbroke Grove Station, accessible by the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines

If you’re standing right in front of Graffik Gallery there’s a fenced off staircase down to the basement and you can see the 2 pieces on the wall of the stair case. The first is one of Banksy’s signature little rats with a heart. There’s been variations of this rat found in multiple locations and cities. The second piece is Thomas the Tank engine with two soldiers in it.

Unlike the rest of the pieces on this list, not too much has been written about these two. It’s believed that this isn’t the original spot of the pieces and that they were moved here.

Extinction Rebellion

Location: On the side of Marble Arch at the corner of Hyde Park (you can see which side right below in the picture)
When was it painted: April 25, 2019
Closest tube station: Marble Arch, accessible on the Central line

On April 25, 2019 the Extinction Rebellion piece appeared on the side of the Marble Arch as the site where the Extinction Rebellion camp was cleared away. It’s been covered by polycarbonate to protect the piece. The piece is of a girl holding a small Extinction Rebellion sign crouching by a newly-planted seedling with the words “From This Moment Despair Ends And Tactics Begin”.

Snorting Copper

Location: 115 Curtain Road, close to Curtain Road and Dereham Street, down the little alley on the left hand side of Frederick Gibberd Partnership office building
When was it painted: 2005
Closest tube station: Old Street, accessed by the Northern line or Shoreditch High Street, accessed by the overground

The piece itself shows a police officer on the ground, on all fours, snorting a line of cocaine. The original piece included a line of white spray paint on the ground which snaked around the surrounding streets.

The Snorting Copper piece has quite a unique history. It originally appeared in 2005 on the side of a public toilet on Curtain Road. Hackney Council decided to remove the art so it was spray-jetted, painted over, boarded up and for all intents and purposes lost to the public.

Uniquely enough however the piece was rediscovered. Property developers who bought the site and wanted to turn the toilet and building in homes/office spaces found out about the Banksy. They removed the plywood boards and found that the painting was preserved almost entirely. They sent it off for preservation and instead of selling it off decided that it should be displayed to the public which it has been ever since it’s unveiling on October 5, 2017.

It’s different than the rest of the pieces because it was restored so you could argue that it isn’t the exact original but nothing was done to the actual piece. The restoration was to remove the layers that were placed on top of the piece.

My Tap’s Been Phoned

Location: Parking lot by Chrisp Street and Susannah Street
When was it painted: 2011
Closest tube station: Canary Wharf, accessed by the Jubilee line

The summer of 2011 was the summer known for Rupert Murdoch’s phone-hacking scandal (where journalists were phone and voicemail hacking).

Banksy decided to comment on the situation with a piece that can be found in Poplar (East London), specifically at the intersection of Chrisp Street and Susannah Street (which the closest major intersection is Chrisp and East India Dock Road.

As a play on words, Banksy incorporated an actual tap into the piece and has the tap “ringing” with the cartoon saying “oh no, my tap’s been phoned”.

Banksy + Basquiat – 2 pieces

Location: At the intersection of Beech Street and Golden Lane by the Barbican Centre
When was it painted: 2017 around the opening of their exhibition on Basquiat
Closest tube station: Barbican, accessed by the Circle, Hammersmith & City and the Metropolitan lines

Basquiat is another very well known artist who became famous for his street art in New York in the 70s and 80s. He tragically died of an overdose at the age of 27. In 2017 the Barbican Centre opened an exhibition with the work of Basquiat which is when these 2 Banksy pieces appeared. They’re both plays on Basquiat and his work.

The crown is one of the symbols Basquiat is known for (similarly to Banksy and his rats) and so Banksy has replaced the cars of the Ferris Wheels with crowns. He posted this piece to his Instagram with the caption: “Major new Basquiat show opens at the Barbican – a place that is normally very keen to clean any graffiti from its walls.” which appears to poke fun at the Barbican Centre.

The second piece is Banksy’s version of Basquiat’s own piece named Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump (from 1982). The difference is that Banksy’s version includes 2 police officers that are searching the figure. He posted the picture to his Instagram with the caption: “Portrait of Basquiat being welcomed by the Metropolitan Police – an (unofficial) collaboration with the new Basquiat show”

Both pieces are covered by plexiglass and very well preserved. They’re also easily found and one of my top recommendations if you’re only checking out a few pieces!

I Love London Rat – Chiswell Street

Location: Chiswell Street, Islington between Lamb’s Passage and Sundial Ct
When was it painted: Unknown
Closest tube station: Moorgate Station, accessible by Circle Line, Hammersmith Line, Metropolitan Line, Northern Line

This is one of the classic rats holding up a placard that says I heart London (the heart being an actual heart and not text). The heart was red and at the bottom Robbo had been added in red but that’s been crossed out now with black paint. Prior to this the placard said ‘London Doesn’t Work’ which is what the piece is referred to as on some websites.

You Lose Rat – Steelyard Passage

Location: Steelyard Passage on Cannon Street
When was it painted: Unknown
Closest tube station: Cannon Street, accessible by Circle and District Line

This is one of the classic rats holding up a placard that says ‘You Lose’. The piece is very faded but it’s still there, just have to crouch down to find it.

Graffiti Painter – Notting Hill

Location: Notting Hill, Portobello Road and Acklam Road
When was it painted: 2008
Closest tube station: Ladbroke Grove, accessible by Circle line and Hammersmith line

This piece is depicting a man painting using a palette. The image is of the Spanish painter Diego Velázquez.  The piece was covered up for a very long time but has recently been restored and is now available to the public to view!

Very Little Helps – Essex Road

Location: 161 Essex Road on the side of Savemain Pharmacy
When was it painted: 2008
Closest tube station: Angel Station, accessible by Northern line

This one was graffitied on and covered up but is technically still there. It’s quite hard to see through the graffiti and the dirt on the plexiglass cover up, but still does exist. The original piece is of a child running a Tesco bag up a flagpole while two other children look on and pledge the allegiance. There was already an existing metal line in place which was used as the flag pole.

Yellow Lines – Bethnal Green

Location: Close to intersection of Pollard Row and Pollard Street
When was it painted: 2007
Closest tube station: Bethnal Green, accessible by Central Line

This one was of a man with a roller painter and a large yellow flower. The flower remains but the rest has been covered up.

Fishing Child – Bermondsey Wall

Location: On the Thames Path at Bermondsey Wall (49 Bermondsey Wall West)
When was it painted: 2008
Closest tube station: Bermondsey Station, on the Jubilee line

This piece is still here, right next to the lifebuoy but it’s very faded. It was apparently covered up but then re-appeared. The original piece is of a boy kneeling, with a fishing rod in his hand hanging over a bucket. The end of the fishing line has a syringe attached to it.

Pink Car – The Truman Brewery

Location: The Truman Brewery Markets, Brick Lane, London
When was it painted: Unknown
Closest tube station: Liverpool Street, accessible by Central line, Circle line, Hammersmith line, Metropolitan line

This piece is an old car that’s parked inside of the Truman Brewery. Banksy painted it pink and added a picture of a skeleton in the driver’s window. The car was vandalized and the window with the skeleton was smashed and replaced with a hardwood piece. The whole car is now encased in a see-through plastic type of cover. Based on current pictures it’s definitely seen better days but the piece is technically still around and you can go view it when the market is open.

Rat with Placard – King’s Cross

Location: On the side of the Standard Hotel – 10 Argyle St, London WC1H 8EG
When was it painted: Unknown
Closest tube station: King’s Cross St. Pancras, accessible by Circle line, Hammersmith line, Metropolitan line, Northern line, Piccadilly line and Victoria line

Camden Council’s former offices building was sold and re-developed into the Standard Hotel and because they did not demolish the building, the Banksy piece on the side of it survived. It’s one of the classic rats holding up a placard with an exclamation mark. It’ll be on the side of the building with the restaurant garden, right at the bottom of the the second floor of the building (i.e. look up!).

Giant Rat – Shoreditch

Location: art’otel London Hoxton: 1-3 Rivington St, London EC2A 3DT
When was it painted: 2005
Closest tube station: Old Street, accessible by Northern line

This piece was originally in a parking lot in Shoreditch. When the construction for the art’otel Hotel began, it was taken off the wall and stored away. It was apparently part of the construction permissions that the piece would be displayed again after construction. The piece in question is a giant rat holding a jagged blade and a trident looking tool. There’s tags across the bottom of the piece, presumably from before it was stored away. Now that construction has revealed the piece again you can definitely stop by and see this one.

TV Out Of The Window – Shoreditch

Location: art’otel London Hoxton: 1-3 Rivington St, London EC2A 3DT
When was it painted: 2005
Closest tube station: Old Street, accessible by Northern line

This piece was originally on the Foundry bank building that has now been knocked down. Like the Giant Rat piece, this has been put up as part of the art’otel building and can be seen on the wall of it. The piece depicts a TV, a very old looking one with antennas, being thrown out of a window.

London Banksy Pieces Map

I’ve put together a Google Maps with all of the locations of the above pieces below. The legend has the name of each piece and some of them have more detailed information in their description to allow you to find the piece more easily. All you have to do is share the map to your phone and you’ll be able to see all the pieces as you go. The map gets updated as the post gets updated so if I report back that a piece is gone, I’ll take it off the map as well.

Removed/Unviewable Pieces

Banksy has visited London a number of times so you would think there are more pieces than the ones listed above right? You’d of course be right but the problem with the nature of street art is that it gets damaged or removed or the whole building itself gets torn up. The below list isn’t exhaustive but it includes some of the more popular pieces you may be looking for that are now unfortunately gone. I thought I’d put together a list of some of them so you don’t spend time looking for them!

Always Fail Rat

This was another one of the rat pieces holding up a placard. This one says ‘Always Fail’ with a crown. It was located by the Mount Pleasant Royal Mail sorting office. It’s been pointed out Royal Mail rhymes with Always Fail, so there’s most likely a commentary involved there. The area has undergone a lot of construction and the piece is now gone.

Bubble Slide Girl – Hackney

This was painted on the side of a youth club in Hackney on Lower Clapton Road but it’s been painted over now. It depicted a young girl sitting down blowing bubbles.

Cash Machine – Exmouth Market

This was located at the corner of Farringdon Road and Rosebery Avenue but has now been painted over. It depicted a young girl being lifted by a robotic arm coming out of a cash machine.

Choose Your Weapon – The Grange

This was located at the intersection of the Grange and Grange Road but is now covered up with a board. It was the famous image of a hooded man with his barking dog on a leash. It was a tribute to Keith Haring.

Graffiti Wallpaper Hanging – Regents Canal

This was located on Camden Street by the canal. It was initially a painter hanging wall paper but it was painted over several times by Robbo and then Banksy himself. It’s been entirely covered now.

Helicopter – Old Street

This was located on Old Street but is now covered up by an extension on the building.

If Graffiti Changed Anything

This piece was located on Cleveland Street and was a piece of text, in red paint, that said ‘If graffiti changed anything it would be illegal’ with a standing rat below the text. The piece is now gone and there are new apartments built in the same area.

Sorry! The Lifestyle

This piece was located on the side of a building, 267 E India Dock Road, and was a large rectangular square depicting the words ‘Sorry! The lifestyle you ordered is currently out of stock’. The wall now just contains a large billboard advertising a nearby restaurant.

Tox Bubble Writer

This was located on Jeffrey street close to the intersection with Camden Street. It depicted a little boy blowing bubbles that formed the word Tox. Tox is another street artist who was convicted several times for his street art.

What Are You Looking At

This was located near the toilets close to the Marble Arch. It was a CCTV camera pointing at the words ‘What Are You Looking At’ but the camera has been damaged and the words painted over.

Falling Shopper – Mayfair

Location: Mayfair, specifically at 25 Bruton Lane on the side of a building
When was it painted: November 19th/20th 2011
Closest tube station: Green Park, accessed by the Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria lines

Mayfair is one of the upscale and posh areas of London. It’s filled with high end shopping brands like Louis Vitton and it’s not exactly where you would expect to see street art, let alone where street art would survive very long. Given it’s commentary on consumerism it’s obviously the perfect location for this art piece.

The piece was found on the side of a building down Bruton Lane (closest to where it meets Bruton Street). It’s quite high up on the building and was apparently painted using scaffolding. The building was torn down sometime in 2023.

Banksy is also making new art constantly so there’s a chance he pops by again and if I hear of it I’ll be sure to update the post as well!

Hopefully this guide on the Banksy London locations helps you in your own chasing. If you have any updates on pieces that may have been damaged feel free to let me know in the comments and I can update the post for everybody to be aware!