One of the most remarkable artefacts of the Middle Ages: a 70-metre embroidered linen strip depicting 58 scenes from the Norman Conquest of England, from the events leading up to William the Conqueror's invasion to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Created within a generation of the events it depicts, it is simultaneously a propaganda piece, a military record, and an extraordinary window into 11th-century life — horses, ships, feasting, armour, and the Halley's Comet of 1066 are all there in vivid detail.
The museum that houses it is well designed, with an audio guide (included in admission) that explains each scene. Spend at least an hour. The tapestry is displayed in a darkened gallery at eye level, under protective glass; the resolution of the needlework becomes more astonishing the longer you look.