The Bayeux Tapestry returns to England after 1,000 years

History buffs are flocking to the British Museum to see the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, which was returned from France for the first time yesterday after almost a millennium in Normandy.

The 220-foot-long embroidery depicts 58 detailed scenes of William the Conqueror’s invasion of England in 1066. The cloth was loaned from France and will be on display until July 11, after which it will be returned.

Tickets to view the tapestry are sold out till the year-end. They cost $45 for adults and $34 for students. The museum has already sold 80,000 tickets this summer and expects the tapestry to bring in 1 million visitors.

However, the artifact’s journey from Bayeux, northern France, raised safety concerns. Despite the safe transportation costing $1.6 million, a conservator noted that post-transit inspections revealed two new small thread breaks.

The piece is covered by a $1.1 billion insurance policy, making the showcase the most expensive in British Museum history.