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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).
Seven great movies to watch for VE Day.
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