The Bayeux tapestry will be insured for an estimated £800 million when it returns to the UK in 2026 for the first time in over 900 years. The Treasury will cover the 70-metre embroidered cloth under the Government Indemnity Scheme, protecting it against damage or loss during its transfer from France and while on display at the British Museum from September.
The Financial Times reported that the Treasury had provisionally approved an estimated valuation for the tapestry, with the final figure expected to be about £800 million. The Government Indemnity Scheme is an alternative to commercial insurance that allows high-value art and cultural objects to be shown in the UK without incurring substantial premiums.
An HM Treasury spokesperson said: “The Government Indemnity Scheme is a longstanding scheme that allows museums and galleries to borrow high value works for major exhibitions, increasing visitor numbers and providing public benefits. Without this cover, public museums and galleries would face a substantial commercial insurance premium, which would be significantly less cost effective.” The scheme is estimated to have saved UK museums and galleries £81 million compared with commercial insurance.
The tapestry depicts the Norman invasion and Battle of Hastings in 1066, where William the Conqueror defeated Harold Godwinson. It consists of 58 scenes and is widely believed to have been made in England during the 11th century, probably commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux. The cloth will be on loan while the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in Normandy closes for renovation until its scheduled reopening in October 2027.
Visitors will be able to view the tapestry in the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery of the British Museum in London from autumn 2026 until July 2027. The loan is part of an agreement between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, announced in July, under which the British Museum will lend the Sutton Hoo collection, the Lewis Chessmen, and other items to France. However, some French art and conservation experts have called on Macron to abandon the project due to concerns that transportation could cause irreparable damage to the tapestry.
