The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s own chancellor will spend about 15 hours in an oversized truck traveling the nearly 1,000 miles from Georgia to Wisconsin to bring the 230-foot-long Bayeux Tapestry to campus.

Chancellor Andrew Leavitt’s passion for the tapestry led him to bring the replica, which is usually housed at the University of North Georgia (UNG), to UW Oshkosh.

“The 230 feet of tapestry tell this incredible story of battles and of chivalry, and tell of camaraderie that existed in the contemporary Middle Ages,” Leavitt said. “It really is a wonderful glimpse back to what life was like in the 11th century, a wonderful example of visual storytelling and it’s a rare opportunity for people to see it. I would like people who come to see it to take away appreciation for its beauty and its mystery. It presents a rich opportunity for people to engage in creative thinking and imagination.”

Back on campus, across the country from UNG, there is much to do to get prepared to host such an exhibition. The tapestry’s stay on campus includes community events and open houses, a lecture series and a visit to schools within the greater community.

After it makes its cross-country trek, the Bayeux Tapestry will arrive at UW Oshkosh in a wooden crate. A tapestry team, made up of students and staff, is being trained no how to handle a painted artifact like the Bayeux Tapestry. A member of the Art Department is leading these efforts.

Its debut in Oshkosh–the Alumni Welcome and Conference Center (AWCC). The artifact, which is made up of 50 panels of linen, will be displayed weaving through the ballroom using more than 30 stanchions.

Throughout its stay on campus, the tapestry team will help with set up, tear down and moving the artifact as needed–no small task, said Franca Barricelli, associate dean of the College of Letters and science and history professor at UW Oshkosh, who is primarily leading the logistical efforts.

Barricelli has been coordinating and planning for the Bayeux Tapestry’s arrival in Oshkosh since last summer, she said.

“This is really exciting for UW Oshkosh because the Bayeux Tapestry is both a magnificent work of art and one of our most important historical sources of the Middle Ages,” Barricelli said.

Of course, Barricelli does hope many will engage with the Bayeux Tapestry while it is being displayed at UW Oshkosh.

“The replica will allow people to see that pieces of the historic record continue to resonate in the world in which we live,” she said. “On whatever level you engage it, the tapestry speaks to relevant social and political questions in a visually compelling way.”

The replica–an artistic masterpiece in its own right –will allow those who encounter it to step back in time about 950 years–and follow the Norman conquest of England that changed the course of Western history.

Opportunities to see and learn about the Bayeux Tapestry include:

• The Bayeux Tapestry exhibit officially opens Friday, March 25 at the AWCC. Docents will also be available to guide guests through the tapestry display. The tapestry will remain at the AWCC through Saturday, March 26
• On Monday, March 28, the tapestry will move to the third floor of Dempsey Hall where it will stay until Friday, April 1. During the week, the Tapestry is open to the public.
• A lecture series will also be held–all lectures will be held in Dempsey hall, room 314. Lectures are as follows:
  • Tuesday, March 29 9:40 to 11:10 a.m.:
    • “Material Culture in 1066: Art and History in the Bayeux Tapestry,” Susan Maxwell, Department of Art
    • “William the Bastard in Norse History and Legend: A Brief Overview,” Elizabeth Wade-Sirabian, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Tuesday, March 29 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    • “The Needle and the Sword: The Struggle for the English Crown in 1066,” Kimberly Rivers, Department of History
    • “Language and Literature after the Invasion: William the Bastard to King Arthur,” Karl Boehler, Department of English
  • Thursday, March 31 9:40 to 11:10 a.m.
    • “La chanson de Roland: A Literary Masterpiece of the French Middle Ages”, Andrzej Dziedzic, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
    • “‘England Should Have a Copy of Its Own’: The Medieval Revival and the Victorian Bayeux Tapestry” Christine Roth, Department of English
  • Thursday, March 31 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    • “Worlds in Collision: Competing Military Systems in the Battle of Hastings,” Kevin Boylan, Department of History
    • “Halley’s Comet before and after 1066: The Science behind the Legend,” Barton Pritzl, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Visitors may park in lot 6 (near the Alumni Welcome and Conference Center) and lot 15 (the visitor lot near Blackhawk Commons). A campus shuttle is also available on a 20-minute loop to take visitors to the exhibit in Dempsey Hall.

For a full list of details, visit the Bayeux Tapestry website.