history museum - American Independence Museum

Museum Tours

by ion | Sep 3, 2021

Self-guided tours only today.

Wall of a room with two large windows. Hanging on the wall between them is a painting of General Sullivan.

Masks are required.

Ladd-Gilman House Throughout our two floors of exhibits, you will find hundreds of objects that tell the story of New Hampshire and its citizens throughout the colonial era. Explore important moments in our nation’s history, as seen through the lens of New Hampshire, and learn untold stories from voices beyond the battlefield. Understand the events that shaped the foundations of the American nation and the people who contributed to the cause of independence, some of whom will be very familiar and others who may be new to you.

Self-guided tickets can be purchased at the time of visit. Folsom Tavern is open by guided tour only.

Cost:

$8 – Adults
$6 – Seniors, Students, Educators & First Responders
$4 – Children (ages 6-18)
FREE for Museum Members and Veterans.

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.

Museum Tours

by ion | Sep 3, 2021

Self-guided tours only today.

Masks are required.

Ladd-Gilman House Throughout our two floors of exhibits, you will find hundreds of objects that tell the story of New Hampshire and its citizens throughout the colonial era. Explore important moments in our nation’s history, as seen through the lens of New Hampshire, and learn untold stories from voices beyond the battlefield. Understand the events that shaped the foundations of the American nation and the people who contributed to the cause of independence, some of whom will be very familiar and others who may be new to you.

Self-guided tickets can be purchased at the time of visit. Folsom Tavern is open by guided tour only.

Cost:

$8 – Adults
$6 – Seniors, Students, Educators & First Responders
$4 – Children (ages 6-18)
FREE for Museum Members and Veterans.

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.

Community Day: Stories We Tell

by ion | Aug 12, 2021

Community Day 9/18 Stories we tell... words we share

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Visit the museum for free on September 18 through Smithsonian Museum Day

Join us for a community day honoring the power of words and fun for all ages! Stop by the grounds of the Folsom Tavern from 10 am- 4 pm for a day full of storytelling, music, and hands-on activities. The day will feature a packed schedule of presentations by local authors, storytellers and musicians, as well as vendor tables featuring local authors and storytellers.

Event Schedule:
10:30 Blame it on Revere story time and art activity
11:30 Revolutionary Story Time- Brick by Brick
12:15 Renay Allen, Fiction Writing as Activism
1:00 Revolutionary Story Time- Equality’s Call read by Congressman Pappas
1:45 Jeff Warner, Songs of Old New Hampshire

This event is made possible thanks to the following sponsor:

300th Birthday Party and Silent Auction

by ion | Aug 12, 2021

Get Event Tickets

Tickets: $75 per person

Celebrate the Ladd-Gilman House’s 300th anniversary with a birthday party under the tent on the newly reconstructed lawn of our Folsom Tavern. This event will be held Friday, September 17 from 5-7 pm. Join us for an evening of cocktails, hors d’ouevres, silent auction and music.

Ladd-Gilman House and Folsom Tavern will be open for self-guided tours and our original printing of the Dunlap Broadside will be on view.

Anniversary Event Sponsors:

A New Look for the Independence Museum Lawn

by ion | Aug 5, 2021 | Governance, Partnerships

The main lawn of the American Independence Museum is undergoing a major renovation project. After celebrating a successful Independence Festival, work immediately began to create a larger campus between the museum’s two buildings in order to facilitate more community events on museum grounds.

This work is part of a larger multi-year drainage and grounds work project that began in 2019. Plans include leveling a large portion of the Folsom Lawn, extending pathways connecting the Ladd-Gilman House and Folsom Tavern, and a new set of granite stairs. This preservation work was able to move forward thanks to an in-kind donation of labor by Sargent.

“We at Sargent are proud to take a part in improving access to the long and proud heritage the American Independence Museum affords our citizens and visitors, especially at such an important time in our country’s introspection about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” said Sargent CEO Herb Sargent.

Work is expected to be completed by the beginning of September in advance of the 300th-anniversary celebrations of the Ladd-Gilman House. The new outdoor space will host a silent auction and birthday party on the evening of Friday, September 17 and family-friendly activities during a community celebration on Saturday, September 18.

“We are extremely grateful to Sargent for completing the work in time to celebrate our anniversaries with our community. Sargent’s generosity ensures the preservation and growth of the American Independence Museum. We look forward to welcoming the public to our anniversary events in September.”

Once the leveling project is complete, work will continue on foundation repairs and drainage improvements around the campus. The museum remains open to the public during construction.

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.