things to do in nh - American Independence Museum

American Independence Museum to Host Service Credit Union Day

by jen | Nov 1, 2023 | Events, Free, Partnerships

Service Credit Union has sponsored the American Independence Museum (AIM) through several key initiatives in 2023, including free admission for all visitors to the American Independence Festival in July. This partnership continues with Service Credit Union Day on Veteran’s Day, Saturday, Nov. 11, in which AIM will offer free admission to all Service Credit Union staff and members.

“This is a wonderful way for us to share with Service Credit Union some of the new, inclusive stories we have been developing in our museum,” said AIM Executive Director Jennifer Carr. “We are so grateful we have this chance to educate and inspire the entire Service Credit Union community given how much they do for others.”

In addition to supporting organizations in areas in which their branches are located, Service CU meets community needs outside its existing reach through the Service CU Impact Foundation. In its first four years, the Impact Foundation has raised more than $2.2 million to support three focus areas: education, human services, and veterans.

Service CU’s Manuela Fraser (l) and Sean Hladick (r)

Regarding Service Credit Union Day, Sean Hladick, Community Relations Specialist at Service CU, said it is crucial they give back to their communities, including their employees and their families. “We’re grateful to the American Independence Museum for all they do to preserve and celebrate history, and are very excited for this partnership and opportunity,” said Hladick.

Presenting Sponsor

← Beer for History to Feature The Czar’s Brewery and UNH Brewlab American Independence Museum to Bring History to Life →

About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.

Beer for History to Feature The Czar’s Brewery and UNH Brewlab

by jen | Oct 24, 2023 | Beer for History, Events, Family Friendly, Partnerships, Programming

On Thursday, November 2 and 16 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the American Independence Museum’s Beer for History series will feature The Czar’s Brewery and UNH Brewlab, respectively.

Presented by Donahue Tucker & Ciandella, Beer for History is family-friendly and features music, trivia, Escape Room, and colonial tavern games with seating available both inside and outside the museum’s Folsom Tavern (c. 1775). “These are fun events with proceeds that support our education and public programs as part of our We Are One initiative to promote inclusive and diverse perspectives on colonial history,” said Jennifer Carr, executive director. “Have a beer for a wonderful cause.”

Tickets for each upcoming Beer for History event is $10, while youth (under 21) are free. Beer for History events take place at the American Independence Museum’s Folsom Tavern, 164 Water St., Exeter, NH. Ticket prices include beer (21+), Escape Room, and light snacks.

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← American Independence Museum to Host Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery American Independence Museum to Host Service Credit Union Day →

About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.

American Independence Museum to Host Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery

by jen | Oct 14, 2023 | Events, Family Friendly, Programming, Tours

On Saturday, October 21, the American Independence Museum will host Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery, an annual family-friendly event that takes visitors on a tour through Winter Street Cemetery in Exeter.

Led by a colonial tour guide, the tours provide insight into some of Exeter’s most famous and infamous revolutionary residents. Primarily used from the 1740’s to 1870’s, Winter Street Cemetery is the final resting place of many prominent members of Exeter, including governors, pioneering business women, Revolutionary and Civil War veterans, politicians, and others. “It’s a wonderful and family-friendly way to spend a little bit of time learning about local history in this festive, Halloween-themed event,” said AIM’s Alena Shellenbean.

Held every 30 minutes from 4:00 p.m. through 5:30 p.m. with a family tour at 3:00 p.m., Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery takes place on Saturday, October 21. Tours are approximately 45 minutes, and guests are encouraged to bring flashlights for the last two tours.

The cost is $10 for non-members and $7 for non-member children, ages 6-18. Members are $5 and $3 for members’ children, ages 6-18, are $3. All children under 6 are free. Family tours at 3:00 p.m. are $15 for a non-member family of four, while member families (up to four) are $10. Children are encouraged to dress for Halloween and will receive a special colonial treat. Ticket price includes a cemetery tour and a return pass to visit the museum.

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← Drainage Project Completed at American Independence Museum Beer for History to Feature The Czar’s Brewery and UNH Brewlab →

About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.

Drainage Project Completed at American Independence Museum

by jen | Oct 11, 2023 | Events, Grants, Restoration

While developing various educational and family-friendly programs, the American Independence Museum (AIM) is also charged with caring for two 18th-century historic structures, a responsibility that recently entailed the successful conclusion of a drainage project.

Made possible by an anonymous donation and a grant from The Mcininch Foundation, the project represents the last phase of a moisture remediation project for AIM’s Ladd-Gilman House (1721) that began in 2019. “We have been able to connect the downspouts on the structure’s northerly side with an underground drainage system to the lower lawn event area behind Folsom Tavern,” said Rebeccah Seely, AIM Facilities Manager.

Connecting the downspouts to an underground system, according to Seely, will direct water away from the foundation and help to resolve ongoing water issues in the basement of the Ladd-Gilman House. “It also completes the perimeter drainage plan for the Ladd-Gilman House, which includes the installation of a stormwater drainage system on the south side of the building in 2019,” she added.

According to AIM Executive Director Jennifer Carr, the project underscores the continued need for funding at the museum. “These are more than just buildings,” she said. “These are tangible links to our past. They house our collection. They are the backdrop to programs and events. There is no substitute for experiencing buildings this old, this historic, in-person.”

Built in 1721, the Ladd-Gilman House is a National Historic Landmark property that was home to Nicholas Gilman, Jr., a signer of the Constitution. The home also served as Governor’s mansion when Nicholas’ brother, John Taylor Gilman, was Governor of New Hampshire. Their father—Nicholas Gilman, Sr.—served as the state’s first Treasurer.

Built in 1775 by Samuel Folsom, Folsom Tavern was visited by George Washington in 1789 and was the site of the formation of the New Hampshire chapter of the Society of the Cincinnati in 1783. The nation’s oldest patriotic organization, the Society was founded by officers of the Continental Army and their French counterparts who served together in the American Revolution.

“There is so much history here,” said Carr. “The only caveat is that it requires consistent support to maintain and continue to reinterpret it.”

← American Independence Museum To Host Zoom Session for Older Adults American Independence Museum to Host Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery →

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About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.

American Independence Museum To Host Zoom Session for Older Adults

by jen | Oct 6, 2023 | Creative Aging Advisory Group, Events, For Adults, Free, Programming

On Thursday, October 19 at 10:00 a.m., the American Independence Museum (AIM) will host a 60-minute Zoom session for older adults in an effort to expand its Creative Aging Advisory Group.

The purpose of the group, made possible by a grant from Eventide Foundation, is to provide older adults with meaningful opportunities to provide input on offerings at the museum. “Serving the needs of older adults is important to us, but we do not want to dictate how these needs are met,” said Sarah Jaworski, Program Manager. “We want to hear from older adults and give them agency.”

To date, AIM Executive Director Jennifer Carr said a lot of the feedback from older adults has focused on the importance of social connections. “We want seniors to feel comfortable here and that they are welcome,” she said.

To this end, Carr said AIM is exploring ways to enhance accessibility at its Folsom Tavern (c. 1775). Possible future enhancements include outdoor seating and lighting in addition to a portable outdoor restroom.

“We have a bathroom on the second floor at the tavern, but that presents a barrier for anyone with mobility challenges,” added Carr. “We want to remove that barrier.”

Regarding the Zoom session scheduled on Thursday, October 19 at 10:00 a.m., Jaworski said its structure will be informal and “more social than anything else.” “We will offer free museum memberships to any older adult that attends,” she added. “We look forward to making new friends.”

Preregistration is not required to attend the virtual session, although it is encouraged. To preregister or to learn more, please click the button below.

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← von Trapp Brewing Kicks off Beer for History Drainage Project Completed at American Independence Museum →

About American Independence Museum

Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.