Bayeux Tapestry returns to UK, opens at the British Museum

artSep 10, 202629608

The nearly 230-foot Bayeux Tapestry has returned to the UK and opened at the British Museum in London on loan from France while its usual home undergoes renovation. The almost 1,000-year-old embroidered narrative, long believed to have been created in England and depicting the 1066 Norman conquest, is the centrepiece of a sold-out exhibition that has drawn huge crowds and wide international coverage. British Museum previews attracted high-profile attention, with King Charles III attending a special early viewing and critics calling the display "shivers-down-the-spine, tell-the-grandchildren sort of stuff." Organisers reported exceptional demand, with one French news item saying the museum sold a record 100,000 tickets for the run. The show’s opening has prompted renewed public interest in medieval textiles and spawned related programming and commentary across outlets including the BBC and The New York Times. The tapestry will remain in London for the exhibition period while conservation and renovation work continues at its usual French home.

The Govan Stones

@govanstones.bsky.social

Want to see stunning early medieval narrative art featuring mounted warriors, but can't get a ticket to the British Museum? We have just the thing at the Govan Stones, and it's free to see every day, 11am-4pm! 📷 @hornesupremacy.bsky.social

One side of the late 9th century carved stone Govan Sarcophagus, which features a mounted warrior on a hunt and a Lamb of God scene.

1908h ago

Greg Jenner (Historian)

@gregjenner.bsky.social

By lovely coincidence it’s both my birthday and Bayeux Tapestry Day in the UK! Delighted to have been part of the BBC’s coverage with our 1066-themed episode of You’re Dead To Me www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c5...

1092h ago

Dr Vic Clarke4

Happy birthday to two medieval legends!

Forza Bahab2

Happy birthday, Greg. I've ordered you a Marmoush hat trick, but they can't deliver it till Saturday evening...

Alan Fisher2

Happy birthday Greg! Halfway through the 1066 ep, thank you!

Laura S1

Happy Birthday from the Canadian side of the Commonwealth!

Mumko691

Happy birthday Greg! Best wishes Will listen to some You’re Dead to me episodes today

Liz1

I doubt you’re quite as old as the tapestry but have a good one 🎈🎂

Ricardo Autobahn

@ricardoautobahn.co.uk

Just back from the Bayeux Tapestry, these were my favourite bits.

595h ago

Speccy Twat6

My personal favourite, since you asked* 😊 *yeah, I know. Don’t care. 😁

Benauds Ghost (AJ)1

I thought picture number 7 was a young Michael Aspel.

Brian Groom

@groomb.bsky.social

Scot, 70, took 40 years to cross-stitch Bayeux Tapestry replica on his daily commute. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

396h ago

Chris Bertram

@crookedfootball.bsky.social

The nation has not, in fact, been gripped by "Bayeux fever" and the tapestry has always been available for British people to see in, er, Bayeux, which isn't very far to travel.

344h ago

Michael Leuty2

…and is a charming town to visit.

THE NERVE

@thenerve.news

“This is the museum event of the decade, possibly the century so far. Are we really to believe that a more ethical partner would not have jumped at the chance to be involved?” @benlukeart.bsky.social on the #BayeuxTapestry at the British Museum. www.thenerve.news/p/bayeux-tap...

We need to talk about the Bayeux Tapestry show and its billionaire sponsor. By Ben Luke. Photograph: a poster for the Bayeux Tapestry outside the British Museum with sponsor Igor Tulchinsky’s name at an equal scale to those of the British Museum and the French government.

252h ago

Rob Palk

@robpalk.bsky.social

Surprised the British Museum are letting us touch it. And that a few people are ripping bits off to keep

246h ago

Rob Palk11

Bit inappropriate that they keep playing adverts for their new Bayeux Tapas Restaurant

Will Wiles4

They just roll out a new section every now and then, it's like a washroom towel

Mr Snodes3

They were the same with the Hawaii one - I came home with loads of pineapple.

Quoting this

Edward3

God forbid the Greek Embassy have hobbies.

Middle East Eye (Unofficial)

@middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social

Igor Tulchinsky: Sponsor of British Museum Bayeux Tapestry exhibition funded community centre in West Bank settlement - https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/igor-tulchinsky-sponsor-british-museum-bayeux-tapestry-exhibition-funded-community-centre-west-bank-settlement

37h ago

Kate Atherley

@kateatherley.bsky.social

I desperately want to go and see the Bayeux (not-a-) Tapestry. When I was a kid we had a school project about it, and we did a collaborative large scale embroidery.

165h ago

Dr Stephanie Brown

@drstephaniebrown.bsky.social

Happy Bayeux Tapestry day!! 🧵 Although it is usually presented as a story of kings and conquest, the embroidery itself was almost certainly the product of skilled female labour

105h ago

Moley𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕄𝕠𝕝𝕖

@moleymole.bsky.social

And can someone explain this ‘Bayeux Tapestry’ to me? It keeps popping up.

Insta BAYEUX TAPESTRY TO GO ON DISPLAY IN BRITAIN FOR FIRST TIME IN 900 YEARS
With a sloppy looking image that clearly isn’t the Bayeux tapestry.

127h ago

Stephen Old2

When I my son was a teenager, he got annoyed if people talked about things they did not understand; he said they should just "wiki the shit!" so i did it for you :-): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayeux_...

craftyprimrose.bsky.social1

AI, make me a version of the Bayeux Tapestry, but base it on charity Christmas cards...

AT1

It tells the story of Shaun the sheep & is on display in a famous London museum at the moment.

Reading Museum

@readingmuseum.bsky.social

We are enjoying all things Bayeux Tapestry related this autumn! Pop in to the Reading Museum Shop in-store or online to see our Bayeux range: reading-museum-shop.myshopify.com/collections/...

a cushion from the Reading Museum shop pictured in the Bayeux Gallery. cushion nas picture of partof the patestry with 2 horses with soldiers riding.

84h ago

Stacey Burns

@wentrogue.bsky.social

If you’re in line to see the Bayeux Tapestry, stay in line—but keep it moving #BayeuxFever

Screenshot from New York Times story about the tapestry’s show at the British Museum

Photo: Museum staff members standing in front of the museum, dressed in period costume to interact with visitors

Text: Every few minutes, a message played on speakers in English and French telling visitors to keep moving along. "Please do not stop," it said.

117h ago

Cai

@annenotation.bsky.social

The Bayeux tapestry is super cool, but also it was the source of a bunch of very funny Photoshops for about two weeks probably (grimaces) I'm going to guess 15 years ago?

124h ago

RTÉ News

@news.rte.ie

London's Bayeux Tapestry exhibition has opened to a British public gripped by "mania" over the medieval artwork depicting the Norman conquest of England, on display outside France for the first time

52h ago

3 sources

usatoday.comHistoric Bayeux Tapestry makes return to the UK after nearly a millennium abroad bbc.com'When England changed forever': Bayeux Tapestry and its most famous scene wow London viewers medievalists.netBayeux Tapestry Exhibition Opens at British Museum - Medievalists.net

Bayeux Tapestry returns to UK, opens at the British Museumart

Bayeux Tapestry returns to UK, opens at the British Museum

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