Alistair Hardaker | Image: A section of the Bayeux Tapestry (CC BY-SA 4.0 LiamGM)
Museum reverses previous photography guidance to keep visitors moving through sold-out exhibition.
The British Museum has banned visitors from taking photos of the Bayeux Tapestry during their visit in an effort to keep crowds moving through the exhibition.
Visitors enter the sold-out exhibition via a mezzanine, before foas wing a one-way path alongside the tapestry, in an experience designed to take around 40 minutes
The museum’s website had previously told visitors that photography was permitted, but not with a flash. It now states that photography within the exhibition is not permitted.
Visitor flow through the exhibition has to be tightly managed, as the museum weighs maximising the view of the 70-meter tapestry while limiting the tapestry’s exposure to light.
A British Museum spokeswoman said: “There has been enormous interest in viewing the tapestry, and our priority is to ensure that all visitors have the best experience possible.
“In order to do this, we have made the decision to restrict photography while people are moving along the length of the tapestry.”
The exhibition’s popularity saw online queues of up to 80,000 hopeful customers on its website as the first tranche of tickets were released.
A second batch of tickets is to go on sale from 21 October 2026.
