Portugal Colonial - Thousands rush to get tickets for Bayeux Tapestry's UK show

The delicate tapestry will be transported from its usual home in northern France, but the precise arrangements are being kept secret as heritage experts and artists have fretted that it could be damaged in transit.

British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan said they were "expecting huge demand" for the exhibition, likening the sale to the annual rush for Glastonbury music festival tickets.

Top-tier tickets for the exhibition -- set to run from this September to next July -- cost up to £33 ($43).

AFP joined the queue when the online ticket system opened at 10:00 am (0900 GMT) on Wednesday, finding tens of thousands of users already waiting.

French officials have said the 70-metre (230-feet) tapestry will travel from its usual home in the northern French town of Bayeux in a crate designed to cushion vibrations, but little else has been revealed.

"The details are quite closely guarded, but it will travel through the tunnel," Cullinan told BBC Radio 4, referring to the Channel tunnel that connects the UK and France.

"It's coming by land, and it will be with us fairly soon. So it's very exciting."

The exhibition will see the monumental tapestry shown in one continuous display in a specially made case.

"We believe it's the world's longest showcase," Cullinan said of the glass case manufactured in Belgium for the exhibition.

The loan comes after French President Emmanuel Macron in July 2025 promised to allow the tapestry to be moved to the British Museum for 18 months to celebrate the relationship between France and Britain.

P.Cavaco--PC