British Museum bans visitors from photographing Bayeux Tapestry

The British Museum has banned visitors from taking photographs of the Bayeux Tapestry over concerns that they were taking too long to view the historic work.

Curators had initially allowed photos to be taken but reversed that decision after long queues delayed ticket-holders from accessing the exhibition.

The medieval embroidery, which is on display in Britain for the first time, depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England and the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Visitors are being allowed into the sold-out exhibit in groups every 40 minutes and told to keep moving along the 68m (230ft) work in one direction.

But people stopping to take photographs along the way was restricting that flow and delaying later visitors.

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 11th Century artwork - which is not a tapestry and was actually embroidered in England - is currently on loan from its home in Normandy, France, and will be displayed in London until July 2027.

British Museum bosses decided that the embroidery would be displayed in a single, straight line, unlike the horseshoe-shaped gallery in which it is displayed in Bayeux.

The loan was confirmed following a Franco-British summit in 2025, following years of planning between the two countries.

Under the agreement, the British Museum is funding the costs of move while insurance is provided by the UK government.

The artefact was carefully packed in a climate-controlled crate and was given a police escort along the unprecedented 350-mile (560km) journey from its home to central London.

Some would-be visitors have criticised the high price of tickets - as much as three times what it costs to see the Bayeux Tapestry in France - to cover the museum's expenses.

Tickets for the exhibition are sold out until 31 December but more are expected to go on sale in October.

Alternately, a full-scale replica of the Bayeux Tapestry is available to see for free in Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire and at Reading Museum.