Demand for tickets to see the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum has surged, with online waiting times reaching up to nine hours as sales opened on July 1. The museum, which will exhibit the 70-meter-long wool-on-linen tapestry from September through July of the following year, reported significant website traffic, with about 40,000 users in the queue by mid-morning and nearly 80,000 by mid-afternoon.

Tickets are available for dates spanning September to December initially, with subsequent releases planned for the remainder of the display period. Pricing for peak times is set at £33, considerably higher than the €12 (£10) charged by the tapestry’s home museum in Normandy. Off-peak adult tickets will cost £27, while visitors under 16 will be admitted free of charge. The British Museum estimates the exhibition could generate over £8.6 million in revenue.

Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum, defended the ticket prices in an interview, emphasizing that most tickets are available at lower rates and stressing the importance of free access for young people. He acknowledged the high demand but noted that off-peak pricing aims to encourage broader attendance.

The Bayeux Tapestry’s visit to Britain is regarded as one of the major cultural events of the year and holds significance in the cultural diplomacy efforts between Britain and France. The tapestry, which depicts William the Conqueror’s victory over Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, has not been displayed in England since its creation about a decade after the battle.

As part of the exchange agreement, several British artefacts—including the Lewis chessmen, the Sutton Hoo helmet, the Mold gold cape, and the Dunaverney flesh hook—will be loaned to Normandy. The tapestry itself is insured under the UK Government Indemnity Scheme for £800 million, allowing it to be exhibited without commercial insurance.

The loan has attracted controversy in France, where critics argue the tapestry is too fragile to be transported. French President Emmanuel Macron has faced criticism for proceeding with the loan despite expert warnings. Campaigners attempted to block the transfer through the Conseil d’État, France’s highest administrative court, but the arrangement has been allowed to proceed.