British Museum breaks record for ticket sales as visitors flock to see Bayeux Tapestry

The British Museum celebrated its biggest ticket sales day in history as people flocked to see the Bayeux Tapestry.

Ticket sales opened to the public for a chance to see the 70-foot work at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Tens of thousands of people logged on to join the online queue, which at one point had wait times of up to nine hours.

While the tapestry lived in Normandy for hundreds of years, it was loaned to the museum following a historic agreement with France. An embroidered depiction of the Battle of Hastings will be displayed on British soil for the first time in nearly 1,000 years from September 2026 until July 2027.

More than £2.5 million was generated from ticket sales in one day, more than any other exhibition ever held, the museum said. The online queue peaked at more than 80,000 customers, and the website saw 4.7 times its average daily traffic, with hundreds of thousands of people trying to access it throughout the day.

The online queue showed visitors the estimated waiting time, estimated arrival time, and informed them of the number of users in the queue ahead; They can also sign up for their email to secure their place in line and be alerted when it’s time to purchase tickets in their allotted 10-minute window.

Members of the British Museum were given priority access on 16 June to purchase tickets for the tapestry, which has only left Normandy twice: once in 1804, when it was exhibited in Paris by Napoleon, and the other in 1944.

The tickets offered for sale on Wednesday are sold out, but those who cannot buy tickets will have more opportunities later in the year for dates between January – March and April – July.

British Museum director Dr. Nicholas Cullinan OBE said the high demand for tickets reflected the public’s appetite for arts and culture.

“We have seen an extraordinary response to the Bayeux Tapestry, with today being the biggest day of any exhibition ever held at the British Museum.

“The level of demand reflects the unique opportunity this exhibition brings and the public’s appetite for more art and culture. I would like to thank everyone for their support and the patience of those who queued yesterday. We look forward to welcoming you all to the Museum in September when we open this unique exhibition.”

Ticket buyers paid more than double the 12 euro ticket price at the Bayeux Museum in Normandy.

Adult tickets were priced at £33 during standard hours and £25 to £27 during peak hours, while students, 16-18 year olds and job seekers benefited from a discounted price of £25. Those under the age of 16 got free entry, while those with a National Arts Pass paid between £12.50 and £16.50, depending on the time they went.

writing for IndependentIgor Tulchinsky, founder and chief executive of asset management firm WorldQuant, which sponsors the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum, said: “I believe history is told honestly, not through textbooks, but through objects and decisions and the records left by human hands. Exposing young people to this extraordinary work will have a lasting impact.”