Crowds flock to see Bayeux Tapestry on show at British Museum for first time

Crowds of people are queuing up to see the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, which is being displayed at the British Museum for the first time.

Pictures show groups dressed up in medieval clothing and brandishing shields, with the queue stretching down Great Russell Street in central London.

The tapestry – the woven record of the Norman conquest – has returned to the UK for the first time in almost 1,000 years, on loan until September 2027 as part of a special trilateral agreement between the UK, France and the museum.

Special conservation and security measures are in place to ensure the 70-metre long artefact’s safety while it is in the UK.

The tapestry is considered to be one of the wonders of the medieval world and offers an insight into life in 11th century England both before and after the conquest – from castles, warfare and ships to clothing, food and furniture.

Ticket holders each have an allocated time slot, but many have been queuing ahead of the museum opening at 10am to ensure their place.

Michael Lewis, one of the four curators of the exhibition, said: “1066 is, of course, one of the most important events in English history, and the tapestry is the ultimate reflection of that in terms of a visual narrative.

“Some people see it as akin to a graphic novel or a cartoon or something like that, it’s immediately recognisable.

“When they look at it, they can get it straight away. It’s not like a dusty history book where it’s quite hard to decipher.

“There’s action going on, and even if you don’t understand all of the story, you enjoy it.

“So, I think that’s what makes the Bayeux Tapestry such an important thing. And, of course, the fact that the French state has allowed it to come to the UK and be displayed at the British Museum is an enormous act of diplomacy.

“So, it’s a fantastic thing to have happened, and I’m just so happy that it’s happened in my lifetime.

“I think people will be talking about this for generations and generations, that they were there in London to see the Bayeux Tapestry when it came to this country, and hopefully they’ll be inspired to go to Bayeux as well.”

Tickets to the exhibition are sold out until the next release on October 21.

The Bayeux Tapestry is at the British Museum from September 10 to July 11 2027.