Bayeux Tapestry Museum

UNESCO World Heritage status, and what a place! 1000 years of history, made so the illiterate may have known what their immediate history was about, touring around the country espousing the virtues of being French. Mind you, I'm not surprised William The Bastard invaded England as King Harold reneged on his promise not to become king. Not very British! The intricacy of the needlework is incredible, and the small details make the history come alive. One of my favourite places in the world to visit and we may just go again before returning to the UK. Be very proud to be French!

This was somewhere we had been wanting to visit for years so really looking forward to it. We purchased a combined ticket that also allowed access to two other local museums and this worked out good value. It was busy when we visited but the queue kept moving. Just before entering the room where the tapestry is displayed, staff will give you a audio tour in your language of choice that talks you through the tapestry from start to end and explains the story and highlights points of interest. The one problem is that we couldn't pause the audio so you could have a good look at the tapestry details and design. The commentary keeps you moving quicker than at a pace we would have preferred. You cannot take any photos of the tapestry but the shop does sell absolutely everything you can think of featuring it, including copies of the entire piece. There is an exhibition giving background information and part of the tapestry has been recreated in model form, which is interesting to see it from a 3D perspective. Also a film is available to watch with background history.

Wanted to see this before next year's closure for renovation. A must-see museum and I discovered several things I was not aware of. Best value ticket is for all 3 museums for €16. Note: you are not allowed to take photos of the actual tapestry due to the potential flash lamp damage.

Great experience. Cannot book in advance so turn up earlier to avoid queue. Lunch is a busy period. Audio guide keeps everyone moving along past the tapestry at a decent pace, with a good voice over explaining each panel and section. Remember, no photographs! Upstairs is a more museum appearance with models and boards explaining the history of the tapestry and the Norman invasion of England. Slightly biased in certain areas! Above the museum is a brilliant Pixi display and their attempt to remake the tapestry in lead figurines. It's an amazing experience! Funny and clever, don't miss it!

Recommended experience. Worth the approximate £10.00 entrance fee. Recommend the small building to the left with the stained glass windows, stunning wood panelling and beautiful stone carved doorways, and marble flooring. The tapestry itself is a much enhanced experience with the audio narrative device, compared to my last visit in 1994. Gardens well kept. Still a long way to go to make this more accessible for disabled people, wheelchairs ♿️ and baby prams, but I read that they're working on it. Tapestry itself is well displayed and cared for. It is a wonderful piece of history and is well worth a visit.

Fantastic to see such a historic artifact. The tapestry is well presented with handheld audio description to guide visitors along (absolutely brilliant for keeping the crown moving along!) we had a bit of an issue finding an accessible entrance, around the back of the building) but once there, we just had to await the rest of our party to find their way to the front of the queue before we could buy tickets. The first and second floors of the museum are worth a visit if you have time, the former having so much information about the Norman invasion and the history of the tapestry itself, the latter has a very interesting 3D model of some of the tapestry.

After first learning about the Bayeux Tapestry in school back in the eighties it was truly remarkable seeing it for the first time. The 70 meter tapestry chronicled the journey of Harold to France to ask William to succeed king Edward only to size the throne for himself leading to the invasion of William and the Normans and the subsequent battle of Hastings in 1066. The audio description of the images depicted on the tapestry were first class. Definitely worth the 14 euros per person that also included entrance to the Normandy memorial or you could pay 12.50 euro for the tapestry alone. The town of Bayeux is also beautiful and the cathedral is stunning.

As of writing (March 2025) the museum Is about to close for two years for a massive renovation, and you can see why. Not that the current museum is bad, but it lacks the bells and whistles, the multimedia and variety of presentation and education tools that I'm sure the new museum will provide. Should you have the chance, then of course visit to see the tapestry. It's an insanely detailed, beautiful and meaningful work of art beyond its clear historical importance.

The tapestry used to be displayed at the Bayeux Cathedral; but it is now exhibited at the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux. The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth nearly 230 ft (70 meters) long and 20 in (50 cm) tall; which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy, and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings. It is thought that the Bayeux Tapestry is dated back to the 11th century, within a few years after the battle. The Bayeux tapestry is the main artifact that you are visiting at this museum. The self audio tour is necessary to understand the story that you are seeing on the tapestry. Before you go here, you should decide if you & your party are interested. When you're listening to this audio tour, you will not be able to really have a conversation with the rest of your group. You also could be bored if you or other people in your party doesn't care about this part of European history. I highly recommended that you read up about this history before you come visit this tapestry, so you can appreciate it more. If you're traveling alone, or if you & your party are familiar & interested in this history; then it's worth a visit. If not, then it may not be worth your time.

This museum was amazing! Don't rush through this and please don't try and take photos! This Tapestry is so incredibly old and has been through so much! It is so amazing! The narration really is special... I just am so amazed at the art and special details throughout this tapestry..... Not to mention, The Prince (now King) and Princess of Whales visited here as well.....

Worth a visit. Takes about 25 minutes to see the tapestry. You will get a audio device that tells the entire story. Quite remarkable.

Fantastic. The gallery is a large'U' shape. You walk the length of the relic. The provided electronic narration sets the pace. You hear about the events that are depicted on the tapestry. Interesting details are pointed out by the narrator. An hour will cover the entire visit. Well worth the time.

I have wanted to see this amazing 225 foot long tapestry since I first learned about it when I was in high school. It was not disappointing. The museum was not busy, so I went through the exhibit three times. It was ordered to be made by the son of William the Conqueror in the 1100's.. so amazing that it has survived all this time through fires and wars and vandals. Every aspect of the Battle of Hastings between William the Bastard of Normandy and Prince Harold of England is woven into the design in minute detail. For example, the death of Harold who was slain by an arrow strike to his eye is unquestionable. The border shows the actions of the foot soldiers doing what embattled soldiers do... such as stripping the dead of the armor and usable clothing. The audio guide is free, parking is available for three hours. You will find the museum in the town of Bayeux which is a charming walled town along the coast. The coast has the recent war history of being the D-day location. So your visit to this part of France will be well worth while.

We went to Normandy to see the World War II beaches. We stayed in Bayeux as a central point to do our touring. But one of the best parts of the visit was going to the Bayeux Museum and seeing this tapestry. It's over 200 feet long, less than 30 inches tall, wrapped around a support wall so you can walk along the full 200 feet and study it. Embroidered in the 11th century, it tells the story of the Norman conquest of England. The detail and storytelling are amazing. Simply put, you can't come to this part of France without going to see it. Pick you date carefully. The President of France is loaning it to the British Museum for display there. Sometime in 2020 they say. It'll be the first time it has left France since it was made almost a thousand years ago. How generous of him. Wrong!

The Tapisserie is one of the most remarkable artifacts of French history. It chronicles the history of the Norman invasion of England and has an excellent audio guide to help you through it. Worth going back to the beginning for a second time through once you've gone through it the first time.

Nice small museum, with a simple but effective display of the famous tapestry. The audioguide is very useful; the English one is informative and has occasional dry humor. Upstairs there's an area with displays on how the tapestry was made, the events surrounding it, etc. Well worth a visit!

Yesterday we visited the Bayeux Tapestry Museum as part of a day-long tour of Normandy. Our group entered the museum and was given individual audio tour guides. The guides took us through the tapestry, actually an embroidery, wool on linen, pointing out details, subtleties and nuances we might otherwise have missed. The piece is 70 meters long and 50 centimeters tall. It details the Norman Conquest, the Battle of Hastings and the political machinations leading up to it. It reportedly dates to the 11th century and conveyed the story to a largely illiterate populace. When you look at the linen fabric you can see how delicate and fragile it must be. It wasn't crowded when we were there. Although photographs are forbidden I observed a couple of people taking cell phone photos w/o flash. Seeing the embroidered masterpiece at such close range was quite magical.

The only thing in this museum is the Tapestry, so don't think you're going to see a lot of stuff. However, the Tapestry is super long and the audio guide is a must rental because it explains everything you're looking at. Hell of a story and the Tapestry itself is so well preserved. One Yelper suggested that you have the time, you finish the Tapestry and walk back to the start and do it all over again. I'd say it takes about a good hour to go through this. Then you end up in their nice gift shop. The entrance is located off one of Bayeux's alleys, so it can be surprisingly hard to find. But don't give up!

We stopped at the Bayeux Tapestry Museum as part of a day trip tour of Normandy from Paris. The museum was well done and the tapestry is well preserved. The narration was actually pretty funny. The museum was not too crowded. Overall it was a great experience.

Lovely little museum in the heart of historic Bayeux. It is located in an idyllic town setting ringed by graceful trees and babbling brooks lined with ancient stone walls. This museum is a one-trick pony: the wonderfully evocative, almost 1000-year old tapestry denoting the epic struggle and battles between Harold and William the Conqueror winds through the museum. It is really wonderful - have not seen anything quite like it anywhere in Europe. The audio guide that is included in the admission price is very informative, even if delivered in a very cheesy upper-crust British accent.

The beauty of the Tapestry Museum lies not only in the impressive 70 metres long tapestry itself, but also in the story that this tapestry beautifully portrays. Grab the free audio tour and listen to the story of how William, Duke of Normandy won the war of Hastings and became the Emperor of England, while admiring how each part of the story is intricately depicted in the tapestry. It's quite admirable that the tapestry has survived through so many catastrophic incidents, including the fact that when it was placed inside the Bayeux Cathedral, the cathedral was burned down not once, but twice! After being moved to several places across France, today the tapestry is preserved well inside the Bayeux Tapestry Museum, in a temperature and light controlled setting, also preventing any biological attacks of insects and fungus, and any external dirt. After seeing the Tapestry Museum, go to the exhibit section to learn more about the War of Hastings, see the models of villages built in those days, artifacts of weapons & vests used during the wars. Learn about how the tapestries are stitched and how they are colored during natural colors. End your visit by watching the short 15 min movie, about the War of Hastings and a demo of how tapestries are made.

WOW! It's like a movie rolled up done on a linen cloth, history embroidered and forever preserved, miles & miles & miles long (224.3 ft × 1.6 ft) . I've done embroidery myself, and the men (so they showed a photo of the women doing it), have PLENTY OF TIME in their hands to make this so-called tapestry. It is pretty interesting, indeed! You listen to a recording, but it goes so fast, the reason for my 1 negative star.

Beware of your timing. We didn't get to SEE the "tapestry" because the people working there actually closed for their 1.5 hour lunch 15 minutes early! Our train to Paris is at 2:30 and they don't re-open until 2pm. They rudely refused to even let us go into the gift shop and it wast 12:30 yet! Honestly how much closing time does one need for the lunch break... flip the sign on the door to to close and go. We are very disappointed, but not surprised by the attitude. Happy to keep our thirty euro and whatever we would have spent on their trinkets.

We were very close to skipping this until we found out you could get a combo pass with the WWII museum in town. Glad we didn't. It's seriously a medieval comic strip and the audio narration is perfect. They could make a soap opera out of this stuff. I know some people would prefer to go through it at their own pace, but I thought they timed it just right. No need to step around people to get a good look, everyone's moving along at the same pace just like they're standing on a moving walkway. It was so interesting, we went up to the second floor (watch for the signs, they're easy to miss after the tapestry) and spend a good bit of time exploring the exhibits. I'd still love to know what the extremely explicit borders meant, the audio guide conveniently left those out of the explanation...

Even after three months, I'm still pretty awed by the length and painstaking detail of the tapestry. Each section of the tapestry tells the story of the Duke of Normandy and how he became the King of England. The audio guide is very good (around 30 minutes). It keeps you moving from section to section and explains comprehensively. I'm pretty amazed that the tapestry was able to last this long and still retain the colors. I highly recommend anyone stopping at Bayeux to stop by and admire this tapestry.

I have wanted to see the Bayeux Tapestry ever since my 12th grade Western Civ course. The museum that houses it is very nicely laid out. For a real "World Attraction" that get a LOT of visitors, the crowd control and line movement is very nicely handled. All visitors get an audio guide with a running commentary that, once started, does not stop. As a result, in order to keep up with the commentary, visitors are forced to move along at a reasonable pace and few people stop for any length of time at any once section of the tapestry. While there were spots that I wish I were able to linger, at the same time I really appreciated that the system kept thousands of people moving through. The commentary itself was a very good explanation of the scenes in the tapestry and of the general history of this fantastic 1000 year old item. I would just add that even though I knew quite a bit about the tapestry, I was still taken aback by the sheer size of it and some of the special details. I would only add that there is a fair amount of parking in the area of the museum if you come by car. But make sure you find the machine and pay for your parking. You can only get a max of three hours and after that you WILL get a fine and have the dubious pleasure of learning how to pay for a French parking fine! Nonetheless, STILL WORTH IT!!!!

It is here and it is a UNESCO site, but they don't allow photos probably because of stupid people that fire of their flash and destroy it. Honestly, it is better in television and if you are in a hurry, skip it and go to DDay stuff or Mont St Michel.

Ok it sounds ridiculous... a tapestry?! But it's awesome. I never like audio guides but this one is really fun with lots of humor and a fun way of telling the story. I highly recommend stopping to see this tapestry! It doesn't take long and it's very worth it.

A little museum in Bayeux with a tapestry story about 1064 King Edward of England sending Harold to Normandy to advise William that he is chosen as Edward's successor for the throne. It 229 feet long and they go the length of it telling the story. For me it was ok

If you look closely you see the arrow through the eye of King Harold. In the words of Rob Riggle, "In the face!"

Smaller museum situated in this gorgeous town. Interesting set up where you get an audio guide and walk along the tapestry that is displayed in a dark room. Trying to follow along can be tricky and you have to keep a certain pace. It's incredibly long. Great depth of information though and I thought it was well worth the admission trip and time spent. Exploring Bayeux and its gorgeous cathedral was a nice plus.

I must be some kind of spoiled to have rolled my eyes at the mention of this place while eating sables and chocolate mousse. I'm so glad I was coerced into checking it out. The tapestry is just, well, literally awesome. I mean it's HUGE. Not to mention beautiful and fascinating. After having seen the whole thing while listening to its story on the audio guide, I wanted to do it again like it was a frickin' roller coaster or something. Do not miss this.

Worth the visit when driving along France. It's about a 40 minute audio guide of the entire tapestry. It's pretty straight forward story of the King of Normandy with music in the background for effects. The tapestry was originally made for people who were illiterate back in the old days. I do wish the drawings of the characters of the story was consistent, but hey who am I to complain.