British Museum reveals how the Bayeux Tapestry will be displayed in London

"The British Museum has confirmed that the Bayeux Tapestry will be displayed on a long, flat table when it opens in London later this year. Previously, it was displayed vertically and in a room where the tapestry curved around the display case. This summer, it will be laid out flat for the first time in a single specially designed display case, so people can see the full expanse of the tapestry for the first time."

"The museum says that the flat display will also allow them to bring the tapestry to life in a new and imaginative way, with digital elements helping enhance understanding. The exhibition will include objects from the British Museum's collection, alongside loans from UK and European museums and archives, to place the tapestry in the wider context of medieval England and the Norman Conquest."

"Among the loans is a 1060 charter from the reign of Edward the Confessor, provided by Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies. Written in Latin and Old English, it is witnessed by several people depicted in the tapestry, including King Edward, Queen Edith, Archbishop Stigand, Earl Harold and Harold's brother Gyrth."

"The exhibition will also include the Junius II manuscript from the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford. The illustrated manuscript, produced around AD 1000 in Canterbury, is thought to have influenced the tapestry's depictions of clothing, ships and everyday objects. Also on display will be the Chew Valley Hoard, a collection of silver pennies from the reigns of Harold II and William I, loaned by the South West Heritage Trust and Somerset Council museum collection."

The Bayeux Tapestry will be shown in London later this year on a long, flat table in a specially designed display case. The tapestry will be laid out flat for the first time, replacing a previous vertical display in a curved room. Digital elements will be used to enhance understanding and bring the tapestry to life in a new way. The exhibition will pair objects from the British Museum’s collection with loans from UK and European museums and archives. Loans include a 1060 charter from Edward the Confessor’s reign, a Junius II manuscript thought to have influenced depictions, the Chew Valley Hoard of silver pennies buried after the Norman Conquest, and a 1067 charter from William I to London promising to uphold Edward the Confessor’s laws and customs.

Read at ianVisits