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Bayeux Tapestry Arrives in U.K. After Maximum-Security Operation
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- The Bayeux Tapestry, a 220-foot-long embroidery depicting William the Conqueror’s 1066 invasion of Britain, arrived at the British Museum in London early Friday after a secretive nighttime operation, marking its first time outside France in several hundred years.
- Despite concerns over the tapestry's fragility, French authorities transported it in a climate-controlled, vibration-dampening crate, accompanied by security and police from both France and Britain.
- The British Museum generated over £2.5 million ($3.3 million) in ticket sales on the first day, with high public interest reflected by an online queue of about 80,000 people.
- The loan of the tapestry, announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2018, symbolizes a gesture of trust and Anglo-French friendship, despite opposition from some French experts worried about potential damage.
- Upon arrival, the tapestry will undergo condition checks before being installed in a custom showcase case for the exhibition opening at the British Museum.
