Around 3,700 visitors were evacuated from the British Museum on Friday evening after smoke was detected inside one of the galleries, prompting fears of a possible fire. The evacuation affected attendees with tickets to the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, who were unable to remain in the museum or return to view the display.

The London Fire Brigade responded to the incident and indicated that the likely cause was an overheating light, though the exact source of the smoke remains under investigation. The British Museum confirmed that the Bayeux Tapestry itself was unharmed and that no damage had occurred to the collection.

A museum spokesperson stated that the evacuation was carried out as a precaution while fire services attended to what appeared to be an electrical fault in a gallery. The museum expressed regret for the disruption and inconvenience caused to visitors and offered affected ticket holders the option to reschedule their visit or receive a full refund.