Tom Loughman is a global arts professional with experience in art museums, the art market, and cultural leadership. He has created a distinguished series of critically-acclaimed exhibitions, landed major acquisitions, and commissioned important publications.

He returned to his hometown, Morristown, NJ, to lead the Morris Museum in May 2023 through an agenda of rebirth and renewal. Recent work as a consultant through Via 10 Arts LLC and his continued leadership of the United States National Committee of the International Council of Museums has included strategic advisor, author, management consultant, and business development for innovative enterprises in the art world.

Arriving to Connecticut in early 2016, he served as Director and CEO of the Wadsworth Atheneum, changing the conversation about the museum’s role in Hartford by launching Wadsworth Welcome, a free access program for city residents that emphasizes the message that the museum belongs to the public. His five years there propelled the museum and its profile into the national conversation. At the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts, (2008-2016) he led global initiatives including a multi-year series of exchanges with China and a 10-venue tour of the Clark’s renowned collection of nineteenth-century French paintings to marquee venues in Europe, Asia, and North America. His work supported the transformation and activation of the 140-acre campus with a Tadao Ando-designed expansion, refurbishment of historic buildings with Annabelle Selldorf, and campus reorientation designed by Reed Hilderbrand. Tom also served as the Clark’s publisher from 2013-2015, bringing 17 new titles into the market.

A trusted voice and passionate advocate for the field, his outreach and stewardship are well known in America and abroad. From 2017 to 2023, Loughman led the board of the United States National Committee of the International Council of Museums as co-chair (together with Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch). He is an active member of the Association of Art Museum Directors and has volunteered for the American Alliance of Museums as a peer-reviewer in its accreditation program and otherwise. His service work extends to a variety of civic and art-world organizations as well as his personal altruistic interests in youth and education.

His curatorial career began at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (NEA Curatorial Fellow, Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs, 1995-1997) and continued at the Phoenix Art Museum (Curator of European Art, 2004-2008) as that museum expanded its campus and invigorated its community base. He completed his Ph.D. studies at Rutgers University in 2003, having researched and written his dissertation, “Spinello Aretino, Benedetto Alberti, and the Olivetans: Late Trecento Patronage at San Miniato al Monte” in Florence, Italy, under the auspices of the Fulbright Program and other fellowships. Other appointments include a variety of curatorial, research, and teaching roles in the field including a visiting assistant professorship at Penn State (2002-2003) and work with contemporary printmakers. Born in Morristown, NJ, he is a graduate of Delbarton School (1989), Georgetown University (A.B. 1993) and Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art (M.A. 1995).