Bayeux Tapestry to Be Displayed in UK for First Time in a Millennium

In a landmark cultural exchange, the Bayeux Tapestry will be exhibited at the British Museum in London from September 2026 to July 2027, marking its first display in the United Kingdom in nearly a millennium. This historic loan was announced on July 8, 2025, by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron during Macron's state visit to the UK.

The 70-meter-long, 11th-century embroidery depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England in 1066, culminating in the Battle of Hastings. Believed to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, the tapestry provides a detailed visual account of medieval life, including aspects of civil and military architecture, armor, seafaring, and daily activities.

In return for the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry, the British Museum will send significant artifacts to France, including treasures from the Sutton Hoo collection and the Lewis Chessmen. The Sutton Hoo treasures, discovered in 1939 in Suffolk, include artifacts from a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon ship burial, offering insights into early medieval England. The Lewis Chessmen, dating to the 12th century, are intricately carved walrus ivory chess pieces found on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland in 1831, reflecting the cultural connections between the British Isles and Scandinavia during the Middle Ages.

Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the British Museum, emphasized the significance of this exchange, stating, "The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most important and unique cultural artefacts in the world, which illustrates the deep ties between Britain and France and has fascinated people across geographies and generations." He added, "This will be the first time the Bayeux Tapestry has been in the UK since it was made, almost 1,000 years ago."

George Osborne, Chair of the British Museum Trustees, highlighted the tapestry's prominence in British history: "There is no other single item in British history that is so familiar, so studied in schools, so copied in art as the Bayeux Tapestry. Yet in almost a thousand years it has never returned to these shores."

The loan coincides with the Bayeux Museum's renovation in Normandy, providing an opportunity for the tapestry to be displayed abroad. The Bayeux Museum, where the tapestry has been displayed since 1983, will close for a two-year renovation from September 1, 2025. The tapestry will return to France in time for the museum's reopening in 2027.

This exchange underscores the deep cultural ties between the UK and France and is part of a broader initiative to strengthen Franco-British relations. The loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK marks a significant moment in cultural diplomacy, reflecting a willingness to share national treasures and promote mutual understanding.

The British Museum plans to anchor a major Norman period exhibition around the tapestry before its return to France in 2027. Further details of the exhibition will be announced by the British Museum in due course.

This comprehensive exchange not only highlights the shared history between the UK and France but also sets a precedent for future cultural collaborations.