Pupils in Rye could see the Bayeux Tapestry for free when it goes on display at the British Museum later this year.
Local schools have been told they will receive priority booking for free tickets and there are hopes the new exhibition will boost tourism in the area too.
The news about the tickets was made by Culture Minister Ian Murray on Wednesday 25 February during a parliamentary debate organised by Hastings and Rye MP Helena Dollimore.
He acknowledged her campaign to ensure that all schoolchildren in Hastings and the surrounding area are able to access the exhibition. “I have been assured by the British Museum that schools in her area will receive priority booking, reflecting the salience of the area to the events of 1066, and the huge local interest.”
The 70 metre long tapestry, which tells the story of the Norman conquest and the Battle of Hastings, will go on display from autumn 2026 to July 2027.
Helena Dollimore began campaigning for exhibition access for local children shortly after the loan of the tapestry to Britain was announced by the prime minister in July 2025.
“It is fantastic news,” she said. “I was lucky to go to local state schools and then study history at university. Who knows who we could inspire by allowing schoolchildren to see the exhibition? The Bayeux Tapestry quite literally wove Hastings into our national history. I am looking forward to children from 1066 Country being able to see it and feel pride in knowing that the story it tells began in the place they call home.”
In the parliamentary debate the MP also highlighted some of the local visitor attractions, including Rye Heritage Centre, Camber Sands, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and Hastings Country Park.
Image Credits: Picryl https://picryl.com/media/bayeux-tapestry-scene-3031-c85950 CC https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/, Helena Dollimore .