The Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum review — full of drama and disbelief
The British Museum has brought the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK in an exhibition that's captured the nation's imagination. Here's my review of the Tapestry's homecoming, that's truly a once-in-a-millennium show.
★★★★★
Bayeux-mania has taken over Britain, ever since it was first revealed that the world's most famous tapestry (that's actually an embroidery) would be coming on loan to Britain for the for first time since it was created in the 11th century.
There's been state visits to announce the loan, controversy over the £33 ticket prices, criticism's from David Hockney, £200 collector's edition catalogues, and even a shiny trailer from Traitors host Claudia Winklemen. Not to mention a glitzy royal opening by HM The King and President Macron.
There's been such a build-up, you can understand why the show's curator Michael Lewis told me in an interview ahead of the exhibition opening that he's "still rubbing my eyes a bit!" to try and believe that it's actually really here.
But here in London it is, and the big question on everyone's lips has been: is it worth the hype?
Well, I’m typing this having just left the British Museum for my second visit to see the Bayeux Tapestry this week. I was very lucky to be invited to the press view, and later in the week I was a fully paid-up punter, getting to experience the exhibition on its second day open to the public (more on that in a second).
Suffice to say, it is outstanding.
It’s clear you cannot really know this object and this story until you stand with it and time travel along its 70m of blood, battles and betrayal. Any and all graphic reproductions do not do it justice.
But I was surprised at my most overwhelming thought during my first visit: disbelief. Disbelief it had actually got here.
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The Tapestry’s survival for 1,000 years is astonishing, no doubt. But it feels a full-blown miracle that its display in Britain all came together. Yes, it took a fair few decades of false starts, but the fact that ultimately the ambition was there and what had long seemed impossible actually became possible…well, that should fill us with a sense of pride in what can be achieved.
In a world where things can seem broken or dysfunctional, or where indifference, malaise and computer-says-no responses feel too common, this is a very welcome tonic imho. This is proof that Great Things Can Still Happen!
But onto the actual visitor experience. Firstly, I’ll get the only real disappointment out the way: the museum seems to have U-turned on allowing photography.
Signs at the entrance say snaps are prohibited, despite your e-ticket saying it’s allowed. The exhibition’s webpage says photos are banned too, but it was saying the opposite on the opening day (I’ve checked on the Wayback Machine archive). I’ve asked the British Museum why there’s been the sudden change, but have not heard back at time of writing. So you won’t be able to have a personal record of your once-in-a-millennium experience I’m afraid. I'm not particularly pro-phone, but it seems a shame.
There’s been much talk of visits being restricted to 40 mins too. But for my visit, it took 50 minutes to get from my ticket being checked at the gallery entrance to just arriving at the first scene of the Tapestry. I've subsequently heard that some days it's been up to two hours before getting to the display.
That’s a lot of queuing in an enclosed mezzanine level which is not too dissimilar to the experience of queuing for Oblivion at Alton Towers. Although you do eventually get to a section where the wall cuts away to give you a magnificent view of the scale of the Tapestry below you.
However, the endless queue ultimately belies the serene experience when you eventually begin your journey down the Tapestry. It’s single file, directly next to the case. No sharp elbows or tip-toe peering needed here. And while there are constant announcements from staff to keep moving along, it didn’t feel intrusive or distracting. Staff even managed to make it feel quite jolly (Let’s see if that’ll be maintained all the way through to July).
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After just over 30 spritely minutes, I’d seen Harold breathe his last due to that arrow-in-the-eye, and I was bidding farewell to the masterpiece.
As the graphics as you exit explain, the Norman invasion changed England forever. Certainly it feels like what can be possible in the museum world has changed forever too.
The Bayeux Tapestry exhibition at the British Museum runs until 11 July 2027
