Remember this? The London 2012 cauldron, designed by Thomas Heatherwick, was one of the true highlights of the Olympic opening ceremony. It burned bright throughout the Games and the Paralympics.
The unique structure, affectionately known as ‘Betty’, is now on permanent display at the Museum of London. Actually, it’s a bit of a hybrid — 97 of the steel stems from the original cauldron are combined with test models of the petals to produce two versions: one in an open configuration, the other bunched up.
The original petals were sent out to each competing nation after the Games, so are not available for display. There is one exception. Team GB’s petal, its copper surface charred from the flames, will alternate with its equivalent from Paralympics GB. The gallery also tells the story of the cauldron’s design and manufacture.
London 2012 Cauldron: Designing A Moment opens at Museum of London on Friday 25 July. Entrance is free.