Private Tour of the Reading Bayeux Tapestry

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 from the Leek School of Embroidery 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. The original work is due to arrive in the UK in the autumn and will be on view at the British Museum. In the interim, the Textile Society has arranged for a private guided tour on 22 May 2026 at Reading Museum to see the 19th century version. Each section is signed and dated by the Leek School embroiderers and together makes for a tour de force of English 19th century needlework. The Reading tapestry had a rich and varied life before it came to Reading - join us to learn about its history and marvel at the power of embroidery.

Meet at the museum reception at 2.30pm

Directions Reading Museum is a stone's throw from the railway station and 25 minutes by train from Paddington. It can now also be reached on the Elizabeth Line.

Here is a link to the Museum's webpage: https://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/collections/britains-bayeux-tapestry/history-britains-bayeux-tapestry

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