Overview
- The British Museum sold out the first tranche of tickets for the tapestry’s run from September 2026 to December 2026 after an online queue that peaked at more than 80,000 users and generated over £2.5 million on the first day of sales on Wednesday, July 1.
- Museum officials say the tapestry will travel by land through the Channel Tunnel in a closely guarded, climate‑controlled crate and will be escorted by conservators, guards and police before being shown laid flat in a bespoke long glass case in the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery.
- The museum set tiered prices (peak £33, off‑peak £27, concessions £25, under‑16s free), offered priority booking to members and local school groups, and plans two further public ticket releases in October and January for visits in 2027.
- The loan was authorised at state level last year by France and the UK as part of a cultural exchange that will send British treasures such as the Sutton Hoo items to French museums in return.
- French heritage experts and campaigners have warned the move risks damage and brought legal challenges, a dispute that puts pressure on organisers to demonstrate the safety of transport tests and will keep attention on the timing of the tapestry’s transfer and the next ticket releases.