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British Museum head apologises for visitor issues at Bayeux Tapestry exhibition
Overview
The head of the British Museum, Nicholas Cullinan, has apologised for overcrowding and visitor issues at the blockbuster Bayeux Tapestry exhibition. Changes including longer opening hours, audio guides, additional seating, and clearer signage are being introduced following reports of long queues and visitors being turned away. Cullinan stated that the issues stem from people wanting to spend more time than anticipated with the 900-year-old embroidery, which is on loan from France.
Key points
- British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan apologised for visitor issues and overcrowding at the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition.
- New measures to ease queues include longer opening hours, audio guides, additional seating, and clearer signage.
- Some visitors faced waits of up to two hours, and hundreds were turned away last week due to backlogs from an early closure.
- Cullinan denied overbooking tickets, explaining that visitors are spending longer than their allocated 40-minute slots viewing the work.
- The 70m-long exhibition is experiencing high demand, with 100,000 visitors expected next week and further tickets going on sale in October and January.
- The Bayeux Tapestry is on loan from the French government, marking its first time in the UK in over 900 years.