Latest news with #ImperialWarMuseums'
Time Out
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Thousands of ceramic poppies have returned to the Tower of London – here's how to see them
In 2014 the Tower of London was transformed with tens of thousands of ceramic poppies to commemorate Victory in Europe Day. This VE Day the landmark poppy exhibition has made a comeback to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, using flowers from the 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' exhibition that took place more than 10 years ago. This year's installation won't be on as grand a scale, but it will use poppies from the 2014 artwork that saw the Tower encircled by a 'sea' of flowers and was visited by more than five million people. From May 6 2025, visitors will be able to see 30,000 poppies, on loan from Imperial War Museum, arranged in a new display designed by Tom Piper. The 2025 artwork will resemble a 'wound' at the heart of the Tower, which was itself bombed during the Blitz. 'Poppies will pour across the lawn overlooked by the ancient White Tower, where the blood-red flowers will form a crater, with ripples flowing outwards. The installation, on display within the Tower's walls, will create striking images, reminding us of the sacrifice and loss of war, and of the long-lasting impact of conflict,' the Tower of London described. The installation inside the tower is included as part of Tower of London admission (£35.80 for adults, £17.90 for children). A small part of the display will be visible from the public footpath, which does not require a ticket. It runs from May 6 until November 11, 2025. Tickets are available online here. When do the poppies go on display? The poppies are on display now, having gone up on Tuesday May 6 2025. Can't get to it this week? Worry not, the poppies are on show through VJ Day on August 15 until Remembrance Day on November 11. What do the poppies represent? In the initial ceramic poppies display, the 888,246 ceramic poppies each represented a military life lost during the war. The 30,000 poppies on display now are on loan from the Imperial War Museums' collection, and they're arranged to resemble a 'wound' at the heart of the tower. VE Day 2025 commemoration events Several events to commemorate VE Day have already taken place, including a Red Arrows flypast and Cenotaph events on Monday (May 5). Here's what's still to come. Tuesday May 6 – London landmarks will be lit up in commemoration from 9pm. Find out which ones here. Wednesday May 7 – Parliament Choir anniversary concert at the Palace of Westminster. Thursday May 8 AA thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey and 'VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember', an evening concert at Horse Guards Parade. 'VE Day 80: The Party' at the Royal Albert Hall Pubs will be allowed to stay open late (until 1am BST).
ITV News
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
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.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Poppies to return to Tower for WW2 anniversary
A display of ceramic poppies will again go on show at the Tower of London, to "reflect on the lasting legacy of conflict" and mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two. More than five million people visited the Norman castle in 2014 to see the art installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, which marked the centenary of the start of World War One. It was made up of 888,246 ceramic poppies, each representing a military life lost during the war. From May, a display of nearly 30,000 poppies from the original installation, on loan from the Imperial War Museums' collection, will return to the Tower of London. The new installation will be positioned to resemble a "wound" at the heart of the Tower, which was itself bombed during the Blitz. Royal Historic Palaces (RHP) said the poppies "will pour across the lawn overlooked by the ancient White Tower, where the blood-red flowers will form a crater, with ripples flowing outwards". The new display has been designed by Tom Piper, who said the scale and impact of the 2014 installation could never be repeated, "but we learned on subsequent national tours that smaller installations could still carry great emotional power". He added: "Everywhere these poppies have been, they have brought people together, with their own stories of sacrifice, commemoration, and hope for the future. "They have much to say about the universality of war and the anguish of suffering and loss." The installation opens on 6 May and can be seen as part of general admission to the Tower of London, although RHP said a small part of the display would be visible from the public footpath. It will close on 11 November, which is Armistice Day. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Remembrance display to light up Tower of London Tower poppies on sale for £350 each UK marking 75th anniversary of VE day Historic Royal Palaces
BBC News
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Tower of London: Poppies to return for WW2 anniversary
A display of ceramic poppies will again go on show at the Tower of London, to "reflect on the lasting legacy of conflict" and mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War than five million people visited the Norman castle in 2014 to see the art installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, which marked the centenary of the start of World War was made up of 888,246 ceramic poppies, each representing a military life lost during the May, a display of nearly 30,000 poppies from the original installation, on loan from the Imperial War Museums' collection, will return to the Tower of London. The new installation will be positioned to resemble a "wound" at the heart of the Tower, which was itself bombed during the Historic Palaces (RHP) said the poppies "will pour across the lawn overlooked by the ancient White Tower, where the blood-red flowers will form a crater, with ripples flowing outwards".The new display has been designed by Tom Piper, who said the scale and impact of the 2014 installation could never be repeated, "but we learned on subsequent national tours that smaller installations could still carry great emotional power".He added: "Everywhere these poppies have been, they have brought people together, with their own stories of sacrifice, commemoration, and hope for the future."They have much to say about the universality of war and the anguish of suffering and loss." The installation opens on 6 May and can be seen as part of general admission to the Tower of London, although RHP said a small part of the display would be visible from the public will close on 11 November, which is Armistice Day.
