The British Museum opened its doors on Thursday for the first public display of the nearly 1,000-year-old Bayeux Tapestry outside of France. The 70-meter-long medieval artwork is on loan from France to the United Kingdom until July 2027.
The tapestry depicts the 1066 Battle of Hastings and the Norman conquest of England under William the Conqueror. Public interest reflects the importance of the event in the national story, with a record-breaking 100,000 tickets sold so far. King Charles III called the exhibition a precious symbol of trust, and the work is considered a symbol of UK-France friendship.
Ticket holders are allotted 40 minutes to view the tapestry from an elevated platform before heading down stairs to view the stitching up close. Visitors have described it as a real privilege to be among the first to see the tapestry in England.