Bayeux Tapestry arrives in London on year-long loan from France

The medieval Bayeux Tapestry, a 1,000‑year‑old embroidered record of the Norman Conquest, arrived in London early on Friday. The 70‑meter long cloth, which has been housed in France since 1924, is now on loan to the British Museum for a one‑year exhibition.

Security concerns prompted a highly confidential transport plan. The tapestry was moved in a secure, undisclosed route and was only revealed to the public upon its arrival. The British Museum will display the piece in its Special Collections gallery, allowing visitors to view the historic narrative in its original scale for the first time in a millennium.

The loan arrangement underscores the cultural cooperation between France and the United Kingdom. After the exhibition period ends, the tapestry will return to its French home, continuing its long history of preservation and public display.