A medieval tapestry broke the British Museum’s sales record

Of London The British Museum collected in early July the largest in its history one day box office. According to the museum’s press release, on July 1, no less than 2.5 million pounds, or approximately 2.9 million euros, were collected.

The public rush was caused by the exhibition presenting the Bayeux tapestry, the tickets of which went on sale in advance online. The exhibition opens on September 10, 2026 and ends on July 11, 2027. The work’s actual home, the Bayeux Tapestry Museum, is under renovation during the exhibition.

A wall hanging its popularity rivals the stadium concerts of pop and rock stars. At peak times of traffic, there were more than 80,000 people in line for online ticket sales. In total, hundreds of thousands tried to access the site during the day.

For comparison: Taylor Swiftin There was a queue for tickets for the Eras tour’s UK shows in 2023 40,000 fans at the start of the sale.

The total number of tickets sold has not yet been confirmed. However, the first batch of tickets from September to December was announced as sold out. Admission tickets for the beginning of 2027 will go on sale in October.

Bayeux’n the tapestry depicts the Norman Conquest of 1066 and the Battle of Hastings, one of the most important events in English history.

In October 1066, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, Harald Godwin’s son, met William the Conqueror of the Normans. The Normans won, and William the Conqueror started a dynasty from which the current royal house of Britain also descends through many branches.

Many historians consider the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman Conquest to be the foundation of present-day England. The huge textile work depicting the events was probably commissioned by William’s half-brother Odo, who was the bishop of the Norman city of Bayeux.

to the British Museum the incoming work is about 70 meters long and half a meter high. In the exhibition opening in September, it will be displayed horizontally for the first time.

Entrance tickets to the exhibition are more expensive than the British Museum’s changing exhibitions in general. Director of the museum Nicholas Cullinan said in a BBC radio interview that organizing the exhibition also became “really expensive” for the museum

“As a charitable museum, we have to cover these costs,” Cullinan said.

Admission to the British Museum’s permanent collections is free.