![Museum to Offer Colonial Holiday Tea]()
by emma | Nov 19, 2018 | Events
While the the first weekend in December is historically the last chance in a calendar year in which people may visit the American Independence Museum, Colonial Holiday Tea represents a departure from this formula.
“We wanted to create a new program this year that would extend our season a little bit,” explained Executive Director Emma Bray. “Our new Colonial Holiday Tea is the result of this effort, and we think it provides visitors of all ages with the perfect opportunity to enjoy a colonial-inspired experience during the festive holiday season.”
At the event, which takes place on Saturday, December 1 and 8, guests will enjoy “a relaxed, festive tea” provided by colonial inspired caterers, For the Love of Food and Drink. In addition to an array of teas, guests will be served food, which will include assorted finger sandwiches, scones, cakes and tarts.
“We intend the event to be an engaging holiday event for all ages–whether with friends, mothers and daughters, entire families, or groups,” said the museum’s Victoria Su, who is organizing the event.
Guests will dine in three of the ground floor rooms of historic Folsom Tavern in which George Washington enjoyed a meal during his 1789 visit to Exeter.
“The tavern is beautifully decorated for the holidays, so the ambiance is so festive,” said Su, who said the event will also provide visitors with the opportunity to make colonial crafts.
‘You can make mulling spices and lavender sachets, and you can try quill pen writing and write gift tags or letters to Santa,” she added. “We will also have a pop-up gift shop set up in the tavern for some historic holiday shopping.”
Seatings for Colonial Holiday Tea are 11 am and 2 pm on Saturday, December 1 and December 8. Each Tea is 2-hours long and will be more rustic than a traditional Victorian or high tea.
“It will bring the tavern to life, much like we imagine it might have been during our nation’s Revolutionary beginnings,” said Bray. “The emphasis is on lively, fun, and festive.”
Pre-registration is required. To purchase tickets, or to learn more about Colonial Holiday Tea, visit www.independencemuseum.org.
About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.
by emma | Nov 14, 2018 | Events
Sponsored by Service Credit Union, the American Independence Museum’s Traveling Trunk program is expected to educate more than 5,000 students across the nation in 2019.
Featuring more than 70 reproduction items with lesson plans for teachers, the free program provides opportunities for kids to actively engage with history through hands-on experiences.
According to Abby Pietrantonio, the unprecedented growth of the program–it has educated about 630 students in 2018–speaks to a real educational need.
“Students of all ages can benefit tremendously from experiencing hands-on history.” she said. “By exploring the past, it can help students can draw comparisons to their own lives.”
By the end of this year, it is anticipated that the program, which is provided at no cost to schools, will educate an additional 180 persons. In 2019, the Traveling Trunk is expected in California, Florida, Minnesota, Utah and other states. The program is not just geared for young people, though.
“I recently traveled to an assisted living facility, in Madbury, New Hampshire for a presentation,” she added.
Due to its popularity, museum Executive Director Emma Bray said that they may need to consider adding another trunk to its programming lineup.
“Our Traveling Trunk allows us to expand our programming outside our museum walls to provide a rich, interactive, hands-on history experience for schoolchildren,” she said. “An expansion of this program is definitely up for discussion.”
Bray credited the museum’s long standing partnership with Service Credit Union as instrumental.
“It is wonderful to know that we are providing a program of value and real need to teachers and that we are able to keep it free and accessible through Service Credit Union’s support,” she added.
In addition to educating students in the classroom, the Traveling Trunk program enables families of students to visit the museum free of charge.
About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.
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by emma | Nov 9, 2018 | Events
Capping off a memorable 2018, the American Independence Museum in Exeter will celebrate the holidays from November 30 through December 2 during the town-wide Ring in the Season celebration.
The festivities begin on Friday, November 30 from 10 am to 2 pm, as visitors can take the season’s last tours of the Ladd-Gilman House and Folsom Tavern, which will be decorated for the holidays.
From 5 pm to 8 pm on that day, Folsom Tavern will then serve as host to a Holiday Open House during which time visitors may enjoy light refreshments and adult beverages, hear seasonal music and more. In addition to a pop-up gift shop, the evening will feature a silent auction that has historically included “big-ticket items,” such as vacation and brewery tour packages.
“The Tavern is such a beautiful space–and when you add live music and seasonal festivities, it is the perfect backdrop for a great time,” added Emma Bray, museum executive director.
This year, the museum will add a new program to its holiday weekend with Colonial Holiday Tea on Saturday, December 1 at Folsom Tavern. At this event, guests may “sip delicious teas and dine on small bites” provided by colonial-inspired caterer, For the Love of Food and Drink. Colonial Holiday Tea will also take place on Saturday, December 8 at Folsom Tavern.
“We wanted to extend the holidays a bit and create more opportunities for the public to enjoy our Tavern,” added Bray.
On Sunday, December 3, the Tavern will be open from 10 am to 5 pm as part of Womenade of Greater Squamscott’s Exeter Area Holiday Home Tour with tickets available at www.exeterareaholidayhousetour.com. The museum’s pop-up gift shop will also be open and holiday refreshments will be available.
“All ages are welcome and proceeds benefit our educational programs and efforts to preserve historical artifacts, some of which date back to the early 1700’s,” said Bray. “We hope to see a great turnout for this colonial-inspired, family-friendly weekend of programs.”
About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.
by emma | Nov 1, 2018 | Events
Building on prior successful collaborations, the American Independence Museum and Exeter Fine Crafts have developed a Colonial Crafts Workshop for youth, ages 11 to 18, on Saturday, November 17 at 1 pm.
The workshop will provide youth with the opportunity to learn about about the history of a colonial craft, followed by a 90-minute hands-on session led by Exeter Fine Crafts instructors.
On November 17, the focus will be Paper Marbling. Offered free of charge as the result of a grant awarded to Exeter Fine Crafts from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the workshop takes place at the museum’s Folsom Tavern, located at 164 Water Street in downtown Exeter.
Emma Bray, museum executive director, expressed excitement at the workshop.
“This is a wonderful partnership with Exeter Fine Crafts that is as fun as it is educational,” she said. “We advocate for history’s relevance, and the arts continue to serve as a wonderful vehicle for us. The result is outstanding and accessible community programming.”
Home to a world-class collection of 3,000 historic artifacts, the museum welcomes more than 5,000 visitors annually and distinguishes itself with educational school programs and events that make history fun and relevant.
Pre-registration for the workshop is required and space is limited. To register, please fill out the online form at www.independencemuseum.org. For questions about the workshop, contact Education Manager Abby Pietrantonio at [email protected] or (603) 772-2622.
About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.
by emma | Oct 18, 2018 | Events
On Saturday, October 20, the American Independence Museum will host “Ghosts of Folsom Tavern and Winter Street Cemetery Tour,” which begins at Folsom Tavern where Colonel & Mrs. Folsom will introduce guests to their family.
“Our period re-enactors will portray the Folsoms and provide fascinating history about the tavern, including how they once hosted George Washington,” said Victoria Su of the museum.
After exploring the tavern, attendees will walk to nearby Winter Street Cemetery and meet a colonial tour guide from the museum. In this portion of the program, folks will see the Folsom’s final resting place and the graves of many of Exeter’s famous and infamous revolutionary residents.
The Folsoms were among Exeter’s earliest settlers. They arrived, in fact, with the Gilman family with whom they were related. The history of both families–and that of Exeter itself and its role in the Revolutionary War–feature prominently in the exhibits and collection at the American Independence Museum, which features Folsom Tavern (1775) and Ladd-Gilman House (1721).
Ghosts of Folsom Tavern will take place on Saturday, October 20 from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Folsom Tavern with Winter Street Cemetery tours every 30 minutes beginning at 4 p.m. through 5:30 p.m. Cemetery tours will last approximately 45 minutes.
The cost is $10.00 for non-members and $7 for non-member children ages, 6-18. Members are $5.00 and members’ children, ages 6-18, are $3. All children under the age of 6 are free.
Ticket prices include a visit to the museum day of the event (must visit Ladd-Gilman House before 3:30pm), activities and check in at Folsom Tavern with seasonal refreshments, and cemetery tour.
To purchase tickets online, visit www.independencemuseum.org. For more information, call (603) 772-2622, or email or [email protected].
Home to a world-class collection of 3,000 historic artifacts, the American Independence Museum welcomes more than 5,000 visitors annually and distinguishes itself with educational school programs and events that make history fun and relevant.
by emma | Oct 9, 2018 | Events
On Thursday, October 18, Throwback Brewery will be the featured brewer at the American Independence Museum’s next Beer for History, the third in a four-event series.
Noting this is the first time Throwback Brewery has been part of Beer for History, museum Executive Director Emma Bray said this particular event is of special significance. Beer for History takes place at Folsom Tavern, which was built in 1775 by Colonel Samuel Folsom and known as Widow Folsom’s Tavern when his widow and daughters ran it from 1790 to 1805.
“It was very unusual to have a tavern back then run entirely by women, but that was Folsom Tavern,” said Bray, who expressed admiration at the fact Throwback Brewery is female-owned and operated.
“Throwback Brewery is one of the only breweries in the world owned and operated by women, so it is great to have them here at our event with this interesting historic connection,” she added.
For beer aficionados, this next Beer for History is not to be missed, as Nicole Carrier of Throwback Brewery said they are bringing three kinds of beer, including their popular Chai Porter.
“We are also bringing Beer From Here, a Pale Ale we are making using the hops we harvest from our hop yard here as well as some other local hops,” she said. “It will feature 100% local malt as well.”
They will also bring Heidi Go Seek, a Munich-Style Oktoberfest, which she described as a “gorgeous, mahogany-colored lagered beer.”
“It is light, crisp, and toasty,” she said. “It walks the perfect balance of bready Munich & Vienna malts and spicy hops.”
Presented by Hoefle Phoenix Gormley & Roberts, P.A. Attorneys at Law, Beer for History features music, Lexie’s Burger Bus, light snacks and some form of historic entertainment.
Proceeds from Beer for History benefit the American Independence Museum, which is home to Folsom Tavern and the Ladd-Gilman House (c.1721).
Admission for Beer for History events, which take place from 6 to 8 pm, is $15 for members and $20 for non members. Beer for 21+ is included in the ticket price.
von Trapp Brewing is the featured brewer for November 1, which is the final Beer for History. Tickets may be purchased at the door or online at www.independencemuseum.org.
