The British Museum has announced plans to extend opening hours for its blockbuster Bayeux Tapestry exhibition after some visitors waited up to two hours to see the historic embroidery, according to the BBC. Hundreds of ticket holders were also reportedly turned away when the museum last Wednesday due to a private event.
A British Museum spokesperson says the response to the Bayeux Tapestry display, which opened 10 September, has been “extraordinary”, adding that: “Some visitors have faced longer queues than we would have wanted, so we are introducing a series of measures—including an audio guide, clearer signage, additional seating and longer opening hours—to make the experience smoother and give more people the time they need to enjoy the Tapestry."
The Art Newspaper understands that further details regarding longer opening times are due to be announced, intending to stop queues from building during the day and enable the museum to space times between allotted visitor bookings.
In addition, the museum has confirmed that anyone who has been turned away will be given a refund and a priority booking slot for a rearranged time. The move comes after some visitors due to see the Tapestry on 30 September could not enter the display after the museum closed early for a private event sponsored by Samsung marking the opening of the new Korea exhibition.
One disappointed ticket-holder told The Times: “If a national institution intends to displace booked visitors in favour of private guests, the least it might do is warn them before they make the journey. At the British Museum, it seems corporate greed has conquered the public.”
The museum meanwhile will introduce other measures to improve the visitor experience at the Tapestry show. Last week, the museum was sued by a blind man over the lack of an audio description; an audio guide will be subsequently introduced this week along with more signage explaining the different parts of the exhibition. Additional seating will also be installed for visitors requiring breaks before entering the exhibition.
The Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the 1066 Norman invasion and the Battle of Hastings, will be displayed in the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery until 11 July 2027, while the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in Normandy undergoes renovations.
The Guardian reported in August that the British Museum provided a private viewing opportunity to Peter Thiel, the founder of data and analytics company Palantir, and that the five-star luxury hotel One Aldywch was offering hotel guests tickets to the exhibition through its corporate partnership with the museum.
Adult tickets for the public cost £33 during peak times and £27 at off-peak hours, compared with its usual €12 (£10) fee to see the tapestry in its home in Bayeux. Children under 16 years old are free. Tickets are sold out until the end of 2026, with more tickets to be released for early 2027 on 21 October.
