The Bayeux Tapestry Returns to England for the First Time in 950 Years

The many mysteries and lessons of the Bayeux tapestry

The Bayeux Tapestry, a 70-meter medieval embroidery depicting the Norman conquest, is on display at the British Museum for the first time in nearly a millennium. Insured for £800m, the exhibition is expected to draw around a million visitors. The article explores the tapestry's enduring mysteries—its creators, purpose, and missing ending—and how its history, including 19th-century restorations, shapes our understanding of the past.