The Bayeux Tapestry, set to be displayed at the British Museum from September 2026 to July 2027, will offer visitors a unique opportunity to experience its intricate decoration and even touch the fabric. Alexandra Makin, a professional embroiderer and textile archaeologist specializing in early medieval history, contributed to the museum's exhibition catalog. Her research has focused on analyzing the tapestry’s construction, including examining the reverse of the piece through photographs and studying sections of the front to understand the techniques used by its original creators. The tapestry is a rich source of historical and artistic inquiry. Scholars have long debated who commissioned it, who created it, and whether it was intended for a specific location. Research has also explored the accuracy of the events and figures depicted, as well as whether the tapestry contained hidden messages or symbolic meanings. Makin has become particularly interested in how people in the medieval period might have interacted with the tapestry, both cognitively and through the senses. Her findings suggest that the tapestry was not just a passive object, but one that engaged its audience in a dynamic way. The Bayeux Tapestry is often compared to the work of a scop, an early medieval storyteller who recited tales of heroes and great deeds. However, unlike a scop, whose stories could change based on the audience's reactions, the tapestry presented a fixed, unchanging visual narrative. If displayed in a castle keep, viewers would have stood in a circular space, facing different scenes directly across from them. This layout allowed for a deeper connection between the various parts of the story. The tapestry was not a static object. When hung, it would have moved slightly with the wind or the touch of a passerby, making the embroidered images appear more vivid. The wool threads used by the original embroiderers would have created shadows on the smooth linen background as light shifted and the fabric moved. This movement would have given the tapestry a sense of life and motion, reinforcing the idea of a living history. If displayed during mealtimes, the sounds of clinking dishes and voices would have added to the immersive experience, making the scenes of feasting and battle even more real. The tapestry would have been touched, examined, and experienced in a way that combined sight, sound, and touch, creating a deeply personal and sensory encounter.