The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is to cut staff as visitor numbers drop.

The Met will axe 10 per cent of its retail staff and close seven of its nationwide gift shops.

The Met released a statement saying: “The decision acknowledges several recent downturns in its merchandising sales, but also represents an effort to restructure this department so it remains competitive in the future and can continue to support museum programmes.”

As well as declining visitor numbers, the Met’s endowment has fallen around 25 per cent to US$2.1bn.