IWM supported the UK Government’s commemorations for VE Day by providing curatorial expertise and archive material from collections 

Landmarks across Britain basked in red, white and blue to mark 80 years since Britain declared victory over Nazi Germany. On 6 May 2025, the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) was illuminated with projections depicting photographs of VE Day celebrations from 1945, a time when the tower was also illuminated to signify the end of the blackout period. 

Piccadilly Circus was a gathering point for thousands after Churchill announced the Allied victory in Europe at 3pm on 8 May 1945. Created by M+C Saatchi Group UK and Ocean Outdoor, working with DCMS and The Together Coalition, the large screen at Piccadilly Circus was taken over with a filmed tribute featuring archive footage of Churchill from a Canadian Army Newsreel, transporting audiences back to 1945. 

Nick Shaw, chief commercial officer, Ocean Outdoor, said, “M+C Saatchi’s film puts Piccadilly Circus firmly at the centre of our Victory in Europe commemorations, bringing today’s audiences face to face with the past. Working with our partners, we are pleased to be able to take VE Day out onto the streets to salute the bravery of the wartime generation and share in a national moment of peace.”

An immersive VE80 experience developed by Atlantic Productions, in conjunction with IWM and DCMS, transported audiences back to 1945 using photographs and historical audio recordings.  This AR experience allowed users to scan a QR code on their smartphone to explore VE Day stories from a range of perspectives, showing the diversity of emotions on VE Day from joy to relief and hardship. 

One of the iconic VE Day photographs from IWM's collections included two small girls waving their flags in the rubble of Battersea, London.

Royal Mail

Royal Mail issued a set of 10 commemorative stamps to honour individuals who made significant contributions during the Second World War.

Images licensed from IWM include RAF pilot Mahinder Singh Pujji (left) who received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Lilian Bader (right), one of the first Black women to serve in the RAF.