From May to November 2025, the Tower of London will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War with a new display of ceramic poppies installed at the heart of the historic fortress.
The latest installation will use poppies from the acclaimed 2014 artwork, Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, which saw the Tower encircled by a sea of poppies, becoming a site for remembrance visited by over five million people. From May 2025, nearly 30,000 poppies from the original installation, on loan from Imperial War Museums’ collection, will return to the Tower to form a new display, marking and reflecting on the sacrifices made by so many during the Second World War.
The new display will resemble a wound at the heart of the Tower, which was itself bombed during the Blitz and still bears some of those scars today. 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 to remind viewers of the sacrifice and loss of war, and the long-lasting impact of conflict. Commissioned by Historic Royal Palaces, the new installation will be formed by nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies from the original display, on loan from the Imperial War Museums’ collection.
Artist Paul Cummins said, “It’s with great excitement and joy that we will be bringing back some of the original poppies back to the Tower to mark such an important year of remembrance. Seeing the public reaction to Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, and the subsequent tour of the Wave and Weeping Window across the country, was something that I will always be proud of and will never forget. These artworks helped to bring people together from across the world, collaborating, telling stories, remembering loved ones and honouring those who sacrificed to protect future lives.
“I hope that some of the poppies returning to the place they were initially unveiled will inspire the same feelings of togetherness, reflection and hope for the future for all across the globe.”
Tom O’Leary, Director of Public Engagement at Historic Royal Palaces said, “As the Second World War begins to pass out of living memory, it’s more important than ever that we come together to remember, share stories of the past and to reflect on the lasting legacy of conflict. We know that the 2014 display was a unique event in the Tower’s history that can never be repeated, but we wanted to play our part in marking this anniversary, and hope that by returning a small number of the original poppies to the Tower, we’ve found a fitting way to do that. We hope that the Tower of London can once again be a space for everyone to remember and reflect in the ways that mean most to them, during this important anniversary year.”
The display will open on 6 May, before the 80th anniversary of VE Day – which marks the official end of the Second World War in Europe – on 8 May. It will run through VJ Day,15 August, until 11 November, culminating in a moment of remembrance for Armistice Day. When the display closes, the poppies will return to the Imperial War Museums’ collection.
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