French Study Says It Is Safe To Ship Bayeux Tapestry To British Museum

The Bayeux Tapestry is set to travel to the United Kingdom in July, after a new French government report concluded that the 230-foot 11th-century embroidery can be moved without undue risk. The plan would bring one of Europe's most fragile and storied medieval works to the British Museum in London, where it is expected to draw major crowds and intense scrutiny.

The tapestry, which is listed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register as a“unique work,” depicts William the Conqueror's victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Its condition has long fueled anxiety about any relocation. A 2021 assessment recorded 24,000 stains, 16,445 creases, nearly 10,000 areas of damage, and about 30 tears. Tiny cracks, conservators have noted, are widespread.

That fragility helped spark resistance to the transfer. La Tribune de l'Art gathered nearly 80,000 signatures on a petition opposing the move, according to Le Monde. Even so, the latest report, presented by the French Culture Ministry, says the project has been engineered to reduce the main danger: vibration.

Delphine Christophe, director general of heritage and architecture, said she is“extremely confident,” adding that“nothing has been left to chance.” Lucie Delhomme, museum manager at transport company Hizkia, said she was initially worried but now believes the project is in capable hands. Conservator Thalia Bajon Bouzid, who had previously urged caution, said she is now“reassured,” though she added that“we remain vigilant and concerned.”

According to the report, vibration levels have been reduced by 96 percent, to the point that the tapestry would experience conditions comparable to a sculpture on a museum plinth as visitors pass by. To get there, experts built a 1.6-ton climate-controlled crate with the tapestry suspended inside a metal cage on 12 shock absorbers,“like a baby in a cradle,” in the words of vibration expert Kerstin Kracht.

The British government has allocated about £1.2 million ($1.6 million) for transport. The insurance costs and exact route remain secret. The British Museum will charge between $32 and $45 for admission, and Le Monde estimates ticket sales could exceed $11.6 million.

The museum is also staging the display with unusual theatrical care, including a canopy of silver birch trees in the forecourt and additional plantings meant to evoke the medieval woodland of East Sussex. Before the tapestry goes on view, 16 French and British conservators will spend three weeks inspecting it on a custom-built table. Another rehearsal is planned for July, just days before the actual move. For now, the message from the project team is clear: the transport is no longer a question of hope, but of preparation.

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