The British Museum has apologised to visitors after chaotic scenes at its blockbuster Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, where reports described two-hour queues and people being turned away towards the end of the day. Director Nicholas Cullinan said this week that the museum was sorry for the poor experience and promised to put it right, as the institution announced a package of measures to get a grip on the crowds. The fixes include keeping the exhibition open for a discretionary extra hour each day when lines have built up, a step made possible by drawing on what the museum calls a small reserve of spare hours within its agreement with France on how long the tapestry can be exposed to light. Other improvements include a new audio guide, additional seating, clearer signage, and QR codes that invite people waiting in line to watch the exhibition's trailer. The exhibition, which opened on 10 September 2026 and runs until 11 July 2027, has been a phenomenon: tickets through the end of December sold out almost immediately, and the next release, covering January to March 2027, goes on sale on 21 October, with an hours-long virtual waiting room expected. The apology follows a week of press coverage of the queues, including interventions from public figures. For the museum the episode is both a vindication and a headache. The tapestry's first showing in Britain has generated extraordinary demand, but the institution's ability to manage that demand is now under scrutiny, and the coming weeks will test whether the new measures can keep the experience worthy of the object.