Overview
- The Bayeux Tapestry reached the British Museum in the early hours of Friday, July 10, after a secret overnight run from Normandy to London.
- Museums moved the 70‑metre embroidery folded accordion‑style inside a climate‑controlled case placed in a shock‑absorbing outer frame and transported it by truck through the Channel Tunnel under police escort.
- The tapestry will be shown flat in a custom raised glass case at the British Museum from 10 September 2026 until July 2027 after several days of acclimatisation and formal condition checks.
- Conservation critics warned moving the fragile cloth risked damage because of existing harm—reports cite roughly 9,600–10,000 holes and about 30 tears—and the transfer is covered by a Treasury‑underwritten indemnity reported at about £800 million.
- French and British leaders presented the loan as a gesture of renewed cooperation, the British Museum will lend Sutton Hoo and other items in reciprocity, and record ticket sales suggest the show will be a major cultural and economic event.