For the British Museum, you don’t need a ticket for the tapestry copy—just walk in (free, but book a timed slot for general admission). For the real one in Bayeux, you must buy tickets online or at the museum. They sell out in summer, so don’t be the person who shows up in July and cries into a croissant. Psst: the Bayeux ticket also includes an audioguide narrated by Bayeux Tapestry: The Comic Strip of the Middle Ages. It’s delightful, like a very posh librarian narrating a battle scene.
Visitors Flock To British Museum As Bayeux Tapestry Goes On Display For
Under 18s get discounts, and students with ID pay €9.50. That’s cheaper than a Netflix subscription, and you get to see a needlepoint depiction of a guy being set on fire. The museum also has a touch-screen game where you can “restore” a section of the tapestry—which is basically an expensive way to play a medieval version of Candy Crush. Worth it for the bragging rights though.
Why You Should See Either Version
Look, the Bayeux Tapestry is the original meme. It’s propaganda, gossip, and battlefield action, all stitched by nuns who probably thought, “This is why we can’t have nice things.” Seeing the real one in France is a pilgrimage—like going to the Vatican for a knitted pope. The British Museum version is the convenient option: no passport, no ferry, just a train to Holborn and a wander through a room with other ancient loot. Either way, you’ll walk away thinking, “Man, medieval people really loved their horses’ legs sticking out at weird angles.”
So, what’s the price of this adventure? Zero pounds for the British Museum copy—just your time and patience. About £10–12 for the French original, plus the cost of a Eurostar ticket and a pastis. But let’s be real: the tapestry is worth every penny, even if you have to squint at tiny embroidered soldiers and wonder, “Is that a severed arm or a weirdly shaped sausage?” Go see it. Your Instagram feed will thank you. And if you get bored, just count the horses. There are 93 separate horses. Yes, someone counted. That someone is probably the same person who counts carbs, but it’s still a fun fact to drop at parties.
