The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the world’s most famous pieces of medieval art. It is 70 metres long, and chronicles the legendary tale of the Norman conquest of England, when William the Conqueror invaded and defeated King Harold Godwinson.
In the late 19th century, an extremely ambitious project was undertaken by a group of Victorian embroiderers to recreate the Bayeux Tapestry in full, painstakingly reproducing every single detail, stitch-by-stitch, so that the Tapestry's timeless story could be enjoyed by the people of Britain.
Today, this artwork, Britain’s Bayeux Tapestry, is held at Reading Museum and displayed in our specially designed Bayeux Gallery.
For many years we have shared our Victorian replica with audiences across the world via our online version of the Bayeux Tapestry. Discover the full Tapestry's story and many facts about this remarkable artwork. Click on a scene below to start exploring. Use our zoom tool to see the Tapestry up close. And if you are viewing the Tapestry on a mobile device, be sure to rotate it to landscape, so that you can enjoy the finest details at the highest possible quality.
Learn more about the Tapestry
Produced with generous funding from Museums Partnership Reading and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
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