Neil MacGregor has announced he is to step down as director of the British Museum.

MacGregor told colleagues he had made the "very difficult decision" to leave in December this year, stating he wanted to stop working full-time.

Since joining in 2002, MacGregor has been credited with reforming its one-time "stuffy" image to make it one of the world's most visited attractions.

He said the role had been the "greatest privilege of my professional life."