“The story of Edward the Confessor’s death, William the Conqueror’s return to England and the defeat of Harold is complex and difficult to grasp within one’s precious minutes in the exhibition. But nearing the end, the ferocity of the 1066 Battle of Hastings is all too powerful. With limited time in front of the tapestry, having read up on the history beforehand enhances the experience.”
Review | ‘£1 a minute’: is the British Museum's Bayeux Tapestry exhibition worth it?theartnewspaper.com
Read up on the history first, says Bailey, which is the speech I give every class before a museum trip, and nobody listens. His point is that Edward, William and Harold are hard to keep straight in your few precious minutes in front of it. For most visitors he suggests the art instead, the borders full of birds and beasts, which is where a ten-year-old looks first anyway.