What in the Devil Was Peter Thiel Doing at the British Museum?
For reasons that remain unclear, the London museum hosted the Palantir founder at a VIP preview of the Bayeux Tapestry.
The British Museum hosted Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel for a VIP viewing of the Bayeux tapestry on August 18, drawing concerns among staff, per a report from the Guardian.
The museum declined to comment on the matter in an email to Hyperallergic, and it remains unclear if Thiel was part of a larger group privileged with viewing the 11th-century tapestry before its coveted public exhibition starting September 10.
Thiel's VIP visit puzzled some, as the billionaire has never donated to the British Museum individually or through any of his businesses. Certain staff were concerned that Thiel's private viewing potentially limited public access to the historic weaving, as the museum must limit both the amount and intensity of light exposure on the tapestry to prevent damage.
Thiel's visit to the museum is said to have been facilitated by its director of development. Board chair George Osbourne neither met with nor attended the VIP viewing with Thiel. A limited number of private viewings have been made available to various museum stakeholders while the exhibition gallery is still undergoing construction.
