The Bayeux Tapestry will be able to be viewed in London for the first time, and for up to £33 a visit – amid backlash over moving the 230 ft long, 20 inch tall embroidered cloth from its home in Normandy.
More than 77,000 people have signed a petition attempting to block the move of the artwork, which is nearly 1,000 years old. Artist David Hockney has also been a vocal critic of the plans, writing in The Independent that it would be “madness” to transport it, adding: “Some things are too precious to take a risk with. Moving the Bayeux Tapestry is one of them.”
The cloth depicts 58 scenes leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, which culminated in the Battle of Hastings. While it has only ever been displayed in Normandy, it is widely believed to have been constructed in England, though its artistic origins remain debated.
The Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux in Normandy, which typically showcases the tapestry, has been closed for renovation since 2025, resulting in the work being loaned to the UK for nine months from September – at a reported cost to the taxpayer of £800m if it encounters damage along the way.
Today (18 May), the British Museum announced that it will cost attendees between £16.50 and £33 to view the tapestry, though under-16s will be allowed in for free. The tapestry will also be laid flat for the first time in more than 200 years, after complaints that the fabric of the artwork has been damaged and weakened over time as it had been hung from a rail for display.
In a statement, Nicholas Cullinan, the director of the British Museum, called the piece “one of the most important and unique cultural artefacts in the world, which illustrates the deep ties between Britain and France”.
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.”
Items from the British Museum – including treasures from the Sutton Hoo – will be sent to France in return.
It has been an arduous journey to Britain for the tapestry in more ways than one. Requests to display the work in London were rejected several times, including for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and for the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings in 1966. But it wasn’t until 2018 that French president Emmanuel Macron signalled his eagerness for the move, though an earlier mooted date – in 2022 – passed due to the pandemic.
The cross-country transfer remains controversial, with art specialist Didier Rykner – editor of the La Tribune de l’Art website and one of the organisers of the petition to block the move – arguing that loaning the tapestry to Britain is “a true crime against our heritage”, adding: “Tapestry specialists, the restorers working on it, and the curators, say there is a risk of tears and material loss due to handling and vibrations during transport. It is unacceptable to risk this absolutely unique work being damaged.”
Cullinan disputed the worry about transferring the art, saying in a statement: “While we understand these concerns, the museum has a world-leading conservation and collections team who are experts at handling and caring for this type of material.”
Tickets to the tapestry will go on sale on 1 July, with the exhibition itself running from 10 September until 11 July, 2027.
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