PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies are displayed at the Tower of London to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War II in Europe.
👥 Who’s Involved: The installation was designed by Tom Piper, with ceramic flowers created by artist Paul Cummins.
📍 Where & When: The Tower of London, display open until Armistice Day, November 11.
💬 Key Quote: Tom Piper stated, “Everywhere these poppies have been, they have brought people together, with their own stories of sacrifice, commemoration, and hope for the future.”
⚠️ Impact: The installation aims to reflect the loss of life through war and provide a space for remembrance, continuing the tradition of poppies as symbols of remembrance in the United Kingdom.
IN FULL:
A display of nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies is currently on exhibit at the Tower of London, marking Victory in Europe (VE) Day on May 8, and 80 years since the conclusion of World War II in Europe. The installation, titled “The Tower Remembers,” features red poppies arranged to resemble a cascading “wound” at the heart of the historic Norman fortress, a site that endured bombing during the Blitz.
Designer Tom Piper conceived the artistic endeavor, and artist Paul Cummins crafted the ceramic poppies. This new display follows a 2014 installation at the same site, which featured 888,246 poppies, each symbolizing a military life lost during the First World War. That earlier installation, “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red,” attracted over five million visitors.
Reflecting on the 2014 installation, Piper remarked that while the scale of that project could not be replicated, he recognized that “smaller installations could still carry great emotional power.” He emphasized the poppies’ role in uniting people through shared stories of sacrifice and hope, stating, “Everywhere these poppies have been, they have brought people together, with their own stories of sacrifice, commemoration, and hope for the future.”
The poppies, on loan from the Imperial War Museums’ collection, can be viewed as part of the general admission to the Tower of London. A portion of the display is also visible from the public footpath. The installation will remain in place until Armistice Day on November 11, commemorating the armistice agreement that ended the First World War.
In the United Kingdom, poppies have long been a symbol of remembrance, worn to honor those who lost their lives in the world wars and other conflicts. Poppies grew across many shell-blasted First World War battlefields in France and Belgium after the fighting, with the flower becoming an enduring symbol of the fallen.
Russia, meanwhile, plans its own Victory Day parade on May 8. However, this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made veiled threats of a possible attack on the parade, which will be attended by several major world leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping.
WATCH:
🌺 The Tower Remembers display is now open! 🌺 The almost 30,000 ceramic poppies pour across the lawn within the Tower walls, reminding us of loss through war, and of the long-lasting impact of conflict.
📆 6 May – 11 Nov 2025
➡️ https://t.co/zH9zctgR5K#TowerPoppies @I_W_M pic.twitter.com/XV3WGlayXL— The Tower of London (@TowerOfLondon) May 6, 2025