Overview

• Conservators took the 11th-century embroidery down on September 18 and moved it the next day to a confidential conservation site as the Bayeux museum closed for renovation.
• Authorities detailed a tightly choreographed operation involving about 100 people, an extended suspension rail, polycarbonate screens, synchronized handling, and protective folding methods.
• The Culture Ministry has launched a ‘voyage à blanc’ using a replica to London to model and reduce vibrations, with study results expected in early 2026.
• Experts continue to warn that prolonged transport could worsen damage on a textile already recorded with 9,646 holes and 30 tears, and which can no longer be reworked.
• The loan is slated for a British Museum display from September 2026 to June 2027, and officials say the museum will cover transfer costs as France presses ahead with the pledge.