British people queued for up to nine hours to see a historical artefact which has survived almost a thousand years - the Bayeux Tapestry. Excitement over the historical artwork meant that 40,000 people were queuing online for the British Museum booking system by mid-morning, 80,000 by mid-afternoon, with staff warning people to “be patient” and that it might take up to nine hours.
Here’s ten things you need to know about the famous tapestry, hosted in The British Museum, a short distance from the beautifully renovated Sicilian Avenue, now home to food, beverage and lifestyle brands.
1. Why are people so interested in the Bayeux Tapestry?
The Bayeux Tapestry is unique, both in how long it has survived intact, and its coverage of iconic historical events (the Battle of Hastings, which changed British history, and the arrival of Halley's Comet). There are other historical records of the period, but the 70-metre-long tapestry offers a unique visual perspective on what life actually looked like in 1066.
2. How did the Bayeux Tapestry travel to the UK?
Did you know that the Bayeux Tapestry was transported in an air-conditioned, anti-vibration crate on a train to the Eurotunnel where it crossed the Channel? In just 35 mins on le Shuttle, the UK became home to a 950-year-old tapestry, which arrived in Britain under police escort, after two years of meticulous planning.
3. History of the Bayeux Tapestry
The tapestry was made in the years following the Norman Conquest, possibly as a gift for William the Conqueror but has been on display in France in Bayeux Cathedral for much of the following millennium - and has not been in Britain for almost 1,000 years. It’s generally thought it was made in Britain. Confiscated as public property in the French Revolution, Napoleon wanted to display it for propaganda value ahead of an invasion of Britain - and in World War II, Himmler ordered it to be taken to a ‘place of safety’, but the tapestry fell safely into French hands.
4. How old is the Bayeux Tapestry?
It’s generally believed to have been made in the years after the Battle of Hastings, making it roughly 950 years old. The first written reference to the tapestry comes from an inventory in 1476 in Bayeux cathedral, where it was preserved.
5. Bayeux Tapestry museum
The Bayeux Tapestry has arrived in the British Museum, in London’s intellectual capital Bloomsbury, 6-mins from Sicilian Avenue, and is already the museum’s best-selling exhibition, with £2.5 million in ticket sales. The loan was confirmed last year in July 2025 during President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Britain. The transfer of the tapestry is meant to symbolise closer ties between Britain and France after the 2016 Brexit vote.
6. Bayeux Tapestry scenes
The tapestry depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest in 1066, including the Battle of Hastings. Panels in the tapestry show the events leading up to the Norman invasion, the fleet crossing the English Channel and the Battle of Hastings itself, with 58 scenes with captions in Medieval Latin.
7. The Bayeux Tapestry is not actually a tapestry
Despite the name, the Bayeux Tapestry is not actually a tapestry - it’s a narrative embroidery. The technique used is embroidery, with guiding marks (possibly drawings) made on the cloth. With a tapestry, the design emerges by weaving threads together at right angles, meaning that the image and cloth are formed at the same time. The embroidery is made of nine panels of linen cloth joined together, and is about 224 feet long.
8. The Bayeux Tapestry is near Sicilian Avenue in London’s intellectual capital
The British Museum sits in Bloomsbury, long home to intellectuals such as the Bloomsbury Group of writer Virginia Woolf, and is a stone’s throw from iconic pedestrianised diagonal Sicilian Avenue, once home to bookshops and now reopened as a destination venue for food, drink and shopping. Research by Sicilian Avenue found that cultural offerings are one of the top reasons visitors come to central London - with 23% citing that as a reason for a visit rising to 40% of Gen Z - compared to 32% who come for the delicious food and drink, such as the unique eateries found (away from tourist hotspots) on one of London’s oldest pedestrianised streets - Sicilian Avenue.
9. How long is the Bayeux Tapestry on display for?
The Bayeux Tapestry is on display in the British Museum, just minutes from London’s Sicilian Avenue (see below) from Thursday 10 September 2026 to Sunday 11 July 2027. Opening times are:
Thursday - Saturday 10:00 - 21:00
Sunday - Wednesday 10:00 - 18:00
10. When can you buy Bayeux Tapestry tickets and how much does it cost?
Tickets for the exhibition are currently sold out, but British Museum Members will have an opportunity to book in October 2026. General tickets will also go on sale again this year, with a date to be confirmed in the British Museum newsletter. Peak time adult tickets cost £33, student tickets are £25 in peak times, and under 16s are free with a maximum of four under-16s per ticketed adult. A full price list can be found here.