Sacre bleu! British Museum to charge up to £33 to see Bayeux Tapestry but visitors may only view it laid flat

By CHRIS POLLARD, NEWS REPORTER Published: 00:47, 19 May 2026 | Updated: 00:55, 19 May 2026 Sacre bleu! It's going to cost an arm and a leg for those wanting to see the Bayeux Tapestry when it comes to Britain. The 230ft-long masterpiece will cost visitors up to £33 to view – but they'll have to be happy looking at it laid out flat. There are concerns that the 11th century tapestry, which depicts the Norman Conquest, has weakened over time from being hung from a rail. The British Museum in London is billing its exhibition as a 'blockbuster' cultural event and hopes to attract more than a million visitors when it opens in September. But 40-minute peak-time viewing slots will be up to £9 more expensive than the museum's other recent premium exhibitions when tickets go on sale in July. Dr Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum, said: 'The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most important surviving works from the medieval world and an extraordinary account of a defining moment in our history. 'Since we first announced this historic loan, we have been committed to ensuring as many people as possible can see it.' The exhibition will feature digital elements to bring the story to life and visitors will see an illustrated manuscript which was likely to have been used by the tapestry's creators. A scene from the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman invasion of England in 1066 It will cost attendees between £16.50 and £33, while families will be able to take under-16s free of charge. In comparison, tickets at the Bayeux Museum in Normandy, which closed for renovation last year, were no more than 12 euros (£10). It is the first time since its creation 1,000 years ago that the tapestry will be displayed in Britain. But more than 77,000 people have signed a petition to prevent it being moved from its home. David Hockney, considered Britain's greatest living painter, has been a vocal critic, saying it would be 'madness' to transport it, adding: 'Some things are too precious to take a risk with. Moving the Bayeux Tapestry is one of them.' Dr Cullinan said: 'While we understand these concerns, the museum has a world-leading conservation and collections team who are experts at handling and caring for this type of material.' The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the few surviving visual records of the Norman Conquest. It tells the story of William, Duke of Normandy's invasion of England and his victory over King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The work is believed to date from the late 11th century, within years of the battle itself. Its exact origins remain debated, but many historians believe it was commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William the Conqueror's half-brother, and probably made in England. The tapestry depicts 58 scenes showing Harold's fateful journey to Normandy, his oath to William, the appearance of Halley's Comet, the mustering of armies and the bloody climax at Hastings – where Harold is said to have been killed by an arrow to the eye. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.