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UK Plans £800 Million Indemnity for Bayeux Tapestry Loan to British Museum

Final approval now rests with Chancellor Rachel Reeves under the government indemnity scheme.

Overview

  • The Treasury has provisionally valued the tapestry at £800 million for taxpayer-backed cover against damage or loss during transport and display.
  • The exhibition is scheduled to open in London in September 2026, with the work remaining in the British Museum’s care until July 2027.
  • A bilateral administrative agreement sets strict safeguards including a special crate, a protective screen on display, a truck journey via the Channel Tunnel, and a French-supervised dry run with vibration monitoring.
  • The British Museum must ensure safekeeping throughout the loan and pay for a condition report when returning the work to Bayeux.
  • The government cites savings from its indemnity scheme versus commercial insurance, while conservation experts caution that moving the near-1,000-year-old textile carries risk.