The British Museum has issued a second apology after hundreds of visitors with tickets to see the Bayeux Tapestry were turned away on Wednesday afternoon when the museum closed early for a gala dinner attended by Chancellor John Healey.
Visitors left disappointed after long waits
Ticket holders queuing to see the 1,000-year-old embroidery were left disappointed and frustrated when the museum shut its doors ahead of schedule. Some of those denied entry had waited many years to see the tapestry and had spent time and money securing tickets.
Ellen Walker wrote on social media that she had been waiting since the age of seven to see the tapestry but was turned away halfway through the queue. Other visitors were reported to have travelled thousands of miles, with some arriving from the US, according to the Telegraph.
Private event causes closure
The museum apologised to ticket holders and explained that the closure was due to a private event. The gala dinner, sponsored by Samsung to mark the opening of the Korea exhibition, was set to be attended by Chancellor John Healey. Although arrangements had been made to avoid a scheduling clash, time slots ran over schedule.
Those turned away are now set to receive refunds and will be given another opportunity to view the exhibition for free. A statement from the British Museum said: “We have apologised to those affected and given a refund as well as rescheduling their ticket for free. This was an isolated situation and we appreciate visitors’ patience and understanding.”
Exhibition under scrutiny
The exhibition has faced criticism since opening last month. Concerns have been raised about overcrowding, overselling of tickets, and delays beyond allotted entry times, forcing the museum to issue an apology. One social media user reported waiting an hour and a half to reach the front of the queue despite having a fixed entry time.
The same user said visitors were instructed to “keep moving” as they viewed the embroidery, adding: “I am surprised they didn’t use a cattle prod to make people walk faster!” In response, the British Museum said: “We have seen unprecedented demand for the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition and our priority is to enable as many people to see it as possible while maintaining our commitment to the best possible visitor experience.”
The museum added: “We have been planning in earnest and have extensive measures in place to try to manage visitor flow, but we recognise that some visitors have waited longer than we would have wanted. We apologise to those affected. We will be contacting them directly.”
