Missed the Standing With Giants D-Day silhouettes? Mini display pops up at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

The free “Celebration of Freedom” exhibition has been set up at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. it will be showcased to visitors until May 28, 2026.

It’s part of the Standing With Giants series, which saw poignant D-Day silhouettes pitched across the grounds of Fort Nelson. Nearly 80,000 people visited the site to take in the emotional spectacle, honouring the 1,475 servicemen under British Command who lost their lives during the landings.

The exhibition was de-installed on January 27, but now visitors can see a smaller alternative version. Created by community conceptual artist Dan Burton, the large scale silhouettes showcase British soldiers and military figures, including Winston Churchill.

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Hand-crafted by a team of volunteers, the figures are made from upcycled materials. Standing with Giants also coincides with Portsmouth 100, a city- wide celebration marking Portsmouth’s 100th year as a city in 2026.

With many free unique events and activities curated for the whole of the year, Standing with Giants is one of the first new installations to arrive in this centenary year. Alongside the exhibition, one of the most powerful surface warships in the UK and the nation’s naval flagship vessel, HMS Prince of Wales, is visible in the dockyard.

Here are some pictures which show what the exhibition looks like.