Bayeux Tapestry arrives at British Museum for first UK display in nearly 1,000 years

For the first time in nearly a millennium, the Bayeux Tapestry has reached the British Museum in London. This 70-meter-long embroidery was transported from northern France via the Channel Tunnel, arriving at 2:50 AM on July 10 after an 11-hour journey. It was securely packed in a climate-controlled crate and accompanied by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service and Kent Police. Museum director Nicholas Cullinan shared the news of its arrival on Instagram, marking the tapestry's first trip since the 1070s. It will be exhibited horizontally in the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery from September 10 until July 2027. The French government facilitated the loan, and ticket sales on the first day surpassed £2.5 million, a record for the museum.