Free Bayeux Tapestry immersive experience

East Sussex College is bringing a free immersive experience of the Bayeux Tapestry to its campuses in Eastbourne, Lewes and the Station Plaza campus in Hastings. It opens with a special viewing on Thursday 19 November 2026 from 4pm, and then runs as community sessions throughout the rest of the year and into 2027, with dedicated sessions for primary and secondary schools too. It's free to attend.

The tapestry itself tells the story of the events leading up to the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The original is on display at the British Museum in London, where tickets are still in high demand, so this is a way to see that story without the trip to the capital. The college is bringing it to the local community through its Immersive Suite, which uses a 270-degree touch-interactive projection system to let you move through the narrative rather than just standing and staring.

There's a particular reason for bringing it here. The tapestry's story is tied to the very ground we're standing on, and the region's own connection to the events of 1066 makes it feel right to have it back in East Sussex. Rebecca Conroy, the college's chief executive and principal, describes the project as part of the college's ambition to be a place where people come together to learn, discover and experience new things.

If you want to catch the opening, that's Thursday 19 November from 4pm. After that, community sessions run through the end of the year and into 2027, and there are dedicated slots for primary and secondary schools. It's free to attend, and you can find it at the Immersive Suite across the college's Eastbourne, Lewes and Hastings campuses.