Bayeux Tapestry Goes on Display in England for the First Time in Nearly 1,000 Years
If you remember learning about the Bayeux Tapestry in history class, you can now see the real thing in England. The nearly 1,000-year-old embroidery is on display at the British Museum in London.
The exhibition opened on Sept. 10 and will remain there until July 11, 2027. After that, the Bayeux Tapestry will return to its longtime home in France.
It may have been stitched in England, but it has spent most of its life across the English Channel. This is the first time it has returned since it was made during the 11th century.
However, the exhibition requires a timed ticket, and the first several months are already sold out.
France Agreed to Let England Borrow It
Embedded media follows. Please allow a moment for it to load.
View this post on Instagram
According to the British Museum, the artifact came to London through an agreement between France and the United Kingdom.
Its usual home is the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in Bayeux, Normandy, France. The museum is closed for renovations and expects to reopen in fall 2027.
The tapestry is displayed flat inside a long glass case. Visitors can first look down on the entire piece from a raised platform, then move closer to see the intricate stitching.
The Bayeux Tapestry Isn’t Actually a Tapestry
The name is a little misleading because the pictures were not woven into the cloth. They were embroidered onto linen using several colors of wool thread.
The piece stretches almost 70 meters, or about 230 feet. Its scenes show the events leading up to the Norman invasion of England and the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Latin words appear above the action, and one scene shows Halley’s Comet moving across the sky.
Tickets Are Sold Out Through December
The first ticket release covered visits through Dec. 31 and sold out before opening day. Tickets for January through March 2027 are scheduled to go on sale on Oct. 21.
Adults will pay between £25 and £33, depending on the time and date. Children younger than 16 can enter for free with a ticketed adult. Visitors have approximately 40 minutes to follow the one-way route around the exhibition.
