Background
Leavitt, Thomas Whittlesey was born on January 8, 1930 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Richard C. and Helen M. (Pratt) Leavitt.
Leavitt, Thomas Whittlesey was born on January 8, 1930 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Richard C. and Helen M. (Pratt) Leavitt.
Bachelor of Arts, Middlebury (Vermont) College, 1951; Master of Arts, Boston University, 1952; Doctor of Philosophy, Harvard, 1958.
Assistant to director, Fogg Museum, Harvard, 1954-1956;
executive director fine arts committee, People to People Program, 1957;
director, Pasadena (California) Art Museum, 1957-1963;
director Santa Barbara (California) Museum Art, Pasadena (California) Art Museum, 1963-1968;
director, Andrew Dickson White Museum Art, Cornell Univercity, Ithaca, New York, 1968-1973;
director, Herbert F. Johnson Museum Art, 1973-1991;
university professor of history art, Cornell Univercity, 1968-1991;
professor emeritus, Cornell Univercity, since 1991;
interim director, Rhode Island School Design Museum of Art, 1993-1994;
interim director, Newport Art Museum, 1994-1995. Director music program National Endowment for Arts, 1971-1972, member museum panel, 1972-1975. Vice chairman Council on Museums and Education in Visual Arts, 1972-1976.
Trustee Gallery Association New York State, 1972-1978. Member music panel New York.State Council Arts, 1975-1978, 1980-1982. Chairman art advising committee National Air and Space Museum, since 1988.
Trustee American Federation Arts, 1972-1991, Newport Art Museum, 1995-2001. Board directors American Arts Alliance, 1976-1982, Indiana Sector, 1980-1984. Board governors Northeast Museum Conference, 1973-1976.
Trustee Williamstown Regional Art Conservation Laboratory, 1979-1991, president, 1984-1987. Member Association Art Museum Directors (president 1977-1978, trustee 1978-1980), American Association Museums (council 1976-1979, vice president 1980-1982, president 1982-1985, Distinguished Service to Museums award 1997).
Married Jane O. Ayer, June 23, 1951 (divorced 1969). Children: Katherine, Nancy, Hugh. Married Lloyd B. Carter, September 14, 1978 (divorced 1985).
Married Michele C. McDonald, April 20, 1991. Children: Zachary Leavitt, Collin McDonald.