The Normans are coming… again. Almost 1,000 years after William the Conqueror crossed the Channel, the Bayeux Tapestry has finally made its own return voyage to Britain. The famous tapestry depicting the Norman Conquest is on display at the British Museum from Thursday, September 10, until July 11, 2027.
News of the tapestry’s journey across the Channel sent the art world into a frenzy, with experts warning that the centuries-old fabric could become fragile. The British Government has ensured the tapestry’s safekeeping while it remains in the nation’s care.
This is the first time the Bayeux Tapestry has been displayed in the UK since it was created nearly 1,000 years ago. Here, we tell you everything you need to know about the exhibition and how to see it.
What is the Bayeux Tapestry?
The Bayeux Tapestry was commissioned shortly after William the Conqueror’s invasion of England in 1066. Historians believe this was done upon the orders of his half-brother, Bishop Odo, and the embroidery was sewn by skilled needlewomen in Kent before it was transported across the Channel, where it has remained for almost a millennium.
Featuring 58 scenes, 626 characters and 202 horses, the 70-metre tapestry depicts the events from the death of Edward the Confessor and Harold Godwinson’s accession to the throne of England, to William’s victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, where Harold is traditionally depicted as being struck in the eye with an arrow. Modern historians theorise how Saxon women, who may have lost menfolk, might have felt sewing the world’s first piece of propaganda for their new Norman overlords.
Britain has attempted to loan the tapestry previously, in 1931, 1953 and 1966, without success. Now, with excitement brimming at its return to London, Time Out magazine has ranked it as the number one thing to do in Britain this year, writing: “It’s a huge deal that Brits will finally be able to cast their eyes over [it].”
Why has France loaned the Bayeux Tapestry to Britain?
The Bayeux Tapestry Museum in Normandy is undergoing a major renovation until October 2027, and as a result, France has agreed to loan the tapestry to the British Museum for 12 months. In return, the museum has loaned France some of its assets, including the Lewis chessmen and the Sutton Hoo treasures – a collection of wealthy 7th-century Anglo-Saxon artefacts discovered in a royal ship burial in Suffolk, England
Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum, described the Bayeux Tapestry as “one of the most important and unique cultural artefacts in the world”. He added: “It is hard to overstate the significance of this extraordinary opportunity of displaying it at the British Museum, and we are profoundly grateful to everyone involved.
“This will be the first time the Bayeux Tapestry has been in the UK since it was made, almost 1,000 years ago. We are also delighted to send the Lewis chessmen and some of our treasures from Sutton Hoo – the greatest archaeological discovery in Britain – to France in return.”
What is included in the exhibition?
Besides the 70-metre-long embroidery, visitors to the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition at the British Museum can also see rare manuscripts and charters from the 11th century that help tell the story of the Norman Conquest. Treasures and artefacts from the museum’s collection and other loans that date from the era will also be shown to add historical context to 1066. The exhibition design also highlights how the makers of the tapestry used elements from the natural world—like trees—as storytelling devices to divide pivotal scenes.
How do I get tickets?
Tickets from September 10 to December 31 have completely sold out. If you’ve missed out, don’t worry, there will be further ticket releases. Bookings for January 1 to March 31, 2027, will open on October 21, 2026. The next round of tickets for April to July 2027 will open in early 2027.
Tickets to see the Bayeux Tapestry are levied at £33 per adult at peak times, down to £27 at off-peak times, while super off-peak tickets will be sold £25 in the final slot of each weekday. Under-16s can enter for free if accompanied by an adult, while ArtFund National Art Pass holders can enter for £16.50.
How long is the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition at the British Museum?
The Bayeux Tapestry is on display at the British Museum from Thursday, September 10, until July 11, 2027
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