The British Museum says the Bayeux Tapestry will go on display in London for the first time this September, with tickets costing between £16.50 and £33. The decision comes despite backlash over moving the nearly 1,000-year-old, 230 ft long, 20 inch tall embroi
The British Museum has confirmed that the Bayeux Tapestry will be shown in London for the first time this September, even as a major public backlash builds over transporting the nearly 1,000-year-old work from Normandy.
The decision means visitors will be able to see the 230 ft long. 20 inch tall embroidered cloth for prices ranging from £16.50 to £33. with under-16s allowed in for free.. The Museum also says the tapestry will be laid flat for the first time in more than 200 years. after complaints that the fabric has been damaged and weakened over time from being hung from a rail.
Back in France. the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux in Normandy—which typically showcases the tapestry—has been closed for renovation since 2025.. As a result. the work has been loaned to the UK for nine months from September. with the reported cost to the taxpayer of £800m if it encounters damage along the way.
That has not stopped the controversy.. More than 77,000 people have signed a petition attempting to block the move.. Artist David Hockney has also criticised the plan. 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 tapestry. which depicts 58 scenes leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 and culminates in the Battle of Hastings. has long fascinated historians.. 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.
In London. the British Museum’s director Nicholas Cullinan said the piece is “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.
Requests to show the tapestry 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.. The push later gathered momentum: it wasn’t until 2018 that French president Emmanuel Macron signalled his eagerness for the move. though an earlier mooted date in 2022 was missed due to the pandemic.
The Museum’s plan has again drawn sharp criticism.. 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. described the loan as “a true crime against our heritage”.. He said: “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 that risk, 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.”
Ticket details have now been set for the public as well. Tickets will go on sale on 1 July, with the exhibition running from 10 September until 11 July, 2027.
The push and pushback have followed the same rhythm: earlier London requests were refused for decades. the idea later resurfaced with Emmanuel Macron in 2018 and a 2022 date was delayed by the pandemic. and now—after the Normandy venue closed for renovation in 2025—the tapestry is set to travel despite a petition drawing more than 77. 000 signatures and warnings about transport risk.
Bayeux Tapestry British Museum London exhibition Normandy loan David Hockney Nicholas Cullinan Didier Rykner Emmanuel Macron Sutton Hoo heritage controversy
£33 for a tapestry is wild.
Wait so they’re moving it because Normandy is closed?? But isn’t it like… already fragile? I don’t get why they wouldn’t just chill it where it is and not risk it, like Hockney said.
Lay it flat for the first time in 200 years and it costs the taxpayer 800 million?? That number alone makes me think they’re covering something up. Also under-16 free like that fixes the damage concerns lol.
I saw a clip that said it got damaged on a rail before, so how is moving it to London not just the same issue but farther? Plus 230 ft?? That has to be a typo because that’s basically the length of a whole building. People signing petitions probably didn’t even read it all.