People desperate to see the Bayeux Tapestry in the UK for the first time faced online queues of up to nine hours when tickets went on sale on Wednesday, with reports of almost 80,000 waiting by mid-afternoon.
The 11th-century embroidery, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066, is to go on display at the British Museum from September 2026 until July 2027 while its usual home, the Bayeux Museum in Normandy, undergoes a major renovation. It will be the first time the 70-metre-long masterpiece has been exhibited on British soil.
“Tens of thousands faced nine-hour online queues for tickets to see the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum.”
More than 65,000 people joined the virtual queue after the first batch of tickets were released at 10:00 BST, the BBC reported. Social media users described spending hours only for their request to time out, though others said they had secured tickets successfully. The museum had warned of “huge demand and interest” before the sale.
The British Museum’s director, Dr Nicholas Cullinan, called the tapestry’s arrival an “incredible event” on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He stressed that great care would be taken to protect the delicate wool-on-linen cloth during its visit. “It will be laid flat, which is the best way to show it in terms of conservation, but the other thing that’s very exciting is it will be shown in one long line. This is the first time in centuries that people will be able to see the entire length of the tapestry,” he said.
The embroidery will be transported from France via the Eurotunnel in the coming weeks and displayed in a specially manufactured glass case. The first batch of tickets covers slots from September to December; two further releases will follow in October and January for the remainder of its stay until July 2027.
Adult tickets cost £33 at peak times and £27 off-peak – almost triple the €12 (£10) charged in Normandy. Cullinan defended the prices, telling the Today programme: “The majority of tickets are off-peak, so they’re less, and all children under 16 will see it for free. We felt it was very important to make this something that all young people have access to.” The museum, a charity, needs to recoup the costs of what Cullinan called a “really expensive exhibition”. The Guardian reported that the museum could generate more than £8.6m from ticket sales.
In exchange for lending the tapestry, France will receive several treasures from the British Museum: the Lewis chessmen, the Sutton Hoo helmet, the Mold gold cape and the Dunaverney flesh hook. The tapestry, almost 1,000 years old, has not been seen in England since it was created. It is insured for £800m and is covered by the Government Indemnity Scheme, an alternative to commercial insurance that allows cultural objects to be shown in the UK.
Concern has been expressed about possible damage to the delicate embroidery during its journey. But for those who managed to secure tickets, the chance to see the full 70-metre length of the tapestry, laid flat and in one long line, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.