‘Glastonbury-style’ rush for tickets as tens of thousands try to bag chance to see Bayeux Tapestry in London
More than 50,000 people flocked to buy tickets to see the Bayeux Tapestry, which is set to come to the UK for the first time.
The British Museum began selling tickets to the public on Wednesday to see the 11th-century tapestry depicting the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
Although the tapestry has been in Normandy for nearly a century, it was loaned to the museum from September 2026 until July 2027 following a historic agreement with France.
It marks the first time this iconic work of art has been exhibited on British soil in nearly 1000 years.
When the museum opened its ticket service at 10am, thousands joined the virtual queue in a Glastonbury-style frenzy. Members of the British Museum were given priority access on 16 June to view the tapestry, which has left Normandy only twice: once in 1804, when it was exhibited in Paris by Napoleon, and the other in 1944.
Those in the queue can expect to wait up to nine hours, according to the booking page, which states the estimated wait time, estimated arrival time and the number of patrons waiting in line ahead of you.
A message on the booking page reads: “We are currently experiencing high levels of demand. Booking online is still recommended but wait times can be up to 9 hours. We are still well stocked with tickets at this time.”
People hoping to buy tickets can expect to pay more than double what they would at the Bayeux Museum in Normandy, where tickets are €12. Adults can expect to pay between £25 and £27 during standard hours and £33 during peak hours, while students, 16-18 year olds and job seekers will receive a reduced fare of £25. Under-16s will get free entry, and those with a National Arts Pass can expect to pay between £12.50 and £16.50, depending on when they go.
Director of the British Museum, Dr. Nicholas Cullinan explained that due to the expensive nature of the exhibition, the pricing was the institution’s chance to “recoup those funds.”
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Well, the top tickets are £33.
“There will be fewer tickets as the majority of tickets are off-peak and all kids under 16 will see it for free. We thought it was very important to make this something that all young people could access.
“If people can’t get tickets [on Wednesday] “We will have two more chances to purchase tickets for 2027 and these will go on sale in October and January, so there are even more opportunities to purchase tickets to see this incredible event.”
Although many saw the tapestry’s visit to the UK as a homecoming, as it was believed to have been made in Canterbury, the decision to transport the embroidery piece to London was met with outrage in the art community.
The late British painter David Hockney wrote specifically: Independent Moving the 70-foot tapestry made it vulnerable to damage. French art experts said it would be “a crime against our heritage” to see the medieval masterpiece leave their country.
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.”
The Independent has contacted the British Museum for comment.
