Ceramic poppies return to Tower of London to mark Second World War's end, 80 years on
Ceramic poppies will return to the Tower of London in a new commemorative display marking 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
Opening on 6 May 2025 and running through to Armistice Day in November, the display will feature nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies from the original 2014 installation, 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red'. The artwork transformed the Tower's moat into a sea of red, attracting more than five million visitors and becoming a national site of remembrance.
ITV News London will be the first broadcaster to capture the installation process on Friday 25 April. The new display will be located at the heart of the fortress, an area bombed during the Blitz.
Poppies will cascade across the lawn beside the White Tower, forming a crater-like shape with ripples extending outward.
The installation is designed to evoke the wounds of war and encourage reflection on the long-lasting impact of global conflict.
Commissioned by Historic Royal Palaces, the display has been created using poppies from the Imperial War Museums' collection.
Artist Paul Cummins, who conceived the original work, said he hopes this return inspires feelings of 'togetherness, reflection and hope.'
Designer Tom Piper, who collaborated on both the 2014 and new installations, added that although the scale of the original cannot be repeated, the emotional power of smaller displays remains significant.
The Tower of London itself was heavily bombed during the Second World War, resulting in casualties and lasting damage to its buildings. At the end of the war, the fortress was floodlit to celebrate peace.
The installation will be visible to ticketed visitors inside the Tower, with a part also viewable from the public footpath.
It will span significant commemorative dates including VE Day on 8 May, VJ Day on 15 August, and Armistice Day on 11 November, when the display will close and the poppies will return to the Imperial War Museums' collection.
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