Visitors to the British Museum were turned away on Wednesday after the venue closed early to accommodate a private gala event, causing frustration among those waiting to see the Bayeux Tapestry. Ticket holders who had been queuing were informed partway through their wait that the gallery would no longer be admitting guests due to “space and time restrictions” and were asked to reschedule their visits.

The event, hosted by Samsung—a longstanding corporate sponsor of the British Museum—marked the upcoming Korea exhibition, which includes artefacts from the collection of the late Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee. The gala was attended by several notable figures, including Chancellor John Healey and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey.

Several visitors voiced their disappointment on social media. One individual described waiting in a lengthy online queue and spending £50 on tickets before standing in line for 20 minutes at the museum, only to be turned away midway through the queue. Another visitor expressed frustration over the early closure due to the private event, calling the situation “shabby.”

This incident adds to a series of reported issues related to the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition since its opening. Museum staff previously raised concerns about tech billionaire Peter Thiel being allowed a private viewing of the tapestry outside of regular public hours. It was reported that Thiel was part of a larger group receiving similar access.

Additionally, last month, some early ticket holders were reportedly refused entry after earlier visitors took longer than anticipated viewing the 225-foot-long embroidery depicting the Battle of Hastings.

The British Museum has been approached for comment regarding the early closure and overall management of the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition.