Bayeux Tapestry photo ban imposed at British Museum

The British Museum has banned visitors from taking photos of the Bayeux Tapestry during its London exhibition to keep crowds moving, a spokesperson confirmed Monday.

The museum said there had been enormous interest in the nearly 1,000-year-old artwork and that restricting photography would help visitors move along the length of the tapestry.

Photography had initially been allowed, but the decision was reversed after queues began to build up as visitors lingered. It was not immediately clear when the ban took effect.

The exhibition is the first time the tapestry is believed to have travelled outside France. The loan is set to last until next July and has been described as a symbol of renewed cross-Channel ties after Brexit.

The 70-metre, or 230-foot, tapestry depicts the 1066 Battle of Hastings and includes 627 figures and more than 700 animals. In London it is laid flat in a raised glass cabinet, unlike its vertical display in Bayeux in northwestern France.

Tickets to the exhibition are sold out until December 31. A second batch of tickets for visits until July 11 is due to go on sale on October 21.