Thomas N. Armstrong III
Encyclopedia
Thomas N. Armstrong III was an American museum curator who was director emeritus of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum
(1968-1971),
the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
(1971-1974), the Whitney Museum of American Art
(1974–1990) and the Andy Warhol Museum (1993–1995). He is best known for more than quadrupling the size of the Whitney Museum's art holdings. He graduated from Cornell University
with a bachelor's degree in art history in 1954, where he became a member of the Quill and Dagger
society. He studied museum administration at the New York University Institute of Fine Arts
in 1967.
Tom Armstrong had a lifelong interest in gardening and joined the board of the Garden Conservancy in 1991, becoming Chairman in 1997. He also served on the advisory committees of Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens and Winterthur Museum & Country Estate, and was an Honorary Trustee of the National Building Museum
and a Trustee of the New York School of Interior Design.
His book, "A Singular Vision," on the design of his glass house on Fishers Island, New York, will be published by WW Norton in the fall of 2011.
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, , was a prominent socialite and philanthropist and the second-generation matriarch of the renowned Rockefeller family...
(1968-1971),
the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a museum and art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1805 and is the oldest art museum and school in the United States. The academy's museum is internationally known for its collections of 19th and 20th century American paintings,...
(1971-1974), the Whitney Museum of American Art
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art, often referred to simply as "the Whitney", is an art museum with a focus on 20th- and 21st-century American art. Located at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street in New York City, the Whitney's permanent collection contains more than 18,000 works in a wide variety of...
(1974–1990) and the Andy Warhol Museum (1993–1995). He is best known for more than quadrupling the size of the Whitney Museum's art holdings. He graduated from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
with a bachelor's degree in art history in 1954, where he became a member of the Quill and Dagger
Quill and Dagger
Quill and Dagger is a senior honor society at Cornell University. It is often recognized as one of the most prominent collegiate societies of its type, along with Skull and Bones of Yale University...
society. He studied museum administration at the New York University Institute of Fine Arts
New York University Institute of Fine Arts
The Institute of Fine Arts is one of the 14 divisions of New York University . It offers a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy, the Advanced Certificate in Conservation of Works of Art, and the Certificate in Curatorial Studies...
in 1967.
Tom Armstrong had a lifelong interest in gardening and joined the board of the Garden Conservancy in 1991, becoming Chairman in 1997. He also served on the advisory committees of Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens and Winterthur Museum & Country Estate, and was an Honorary Trustee of the National Building Museum
National Building Museum
The National Builders Museum, in Washington, D.C., United States, is a museum of "architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning"...
and a Trustee of the New York School of Interior Design.
His book, "A Singular Vision," on the design of his glass house on Fishers Island, New York, will be published by WW Norton in the fall of 2011.