we the people - American Independence Museum

Spirits of the Past

by ion | Oct 13, 2021

$15 Non-members
$10 Members

Join us for an evening around the fire on the lawn of the Folsom Tavern as we explore the spiritualist movement in the 19th century and its ties to America’s founding principles on freedom of religion, as well as to a former tenant of our Folsom Tavern, who was a spiritualist conducting ‘demonstrations’ from the building in the 19th century.

April Sheerin, Church of Spiritual Life member, medium, and Director of New Awakenings, will be on-site to share perspectives on Spiritualism today and offer mediumship demonstrations.

Light refreshments will be available as well.

Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery Tours

by ion | Oct 10, 2021 | Events, Family Friendly, Programming, Tours

On Saturday, October 23, the American Independence Museum will host Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery, a popular family-friendly event that takes visitors on a tour through history.

“Our colonial guide meets you at Winter Street Cemetery and walks you through it while showing you the graves of some of Exeter’s most famous and infamous revolutionary residents,” said the museum’s Sarah Jaworski.

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, Revolutionary and Civil War veterans, politicians and others.

Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery takes place every 30 minutes, 4:00 p.m. through 5:30 p.m., at Winter Street Cemetery on Saturday, October 23. There is a 3 p.m. tour designed especially for families with elementary school aged children, who are invited to wear their Halloween costume while discovering stories of the past and tasting a colonial treat.

All tours will last approximately 45 minutes with guests 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 members’ children, ages 6-18, are $3. All children under 6 are free.

Ticket price includes the cemetery tour and a return pass to visit the museum. Click here to purchase tickets.

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.

Join AIM’s Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery Tour

by ion | Oct 8, 2021 | Events, Family Friendly, For Adults, For Kids, Programming, Tours

On Saturday, October 23, the American Independence Museum will host Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery, a popular family-friendly event that takes visitors on a tour through history.

“Our colonial guide meets you at Winter Street Cemetery and walks you through it while showing you the graves of some of Exeter’s most famous and infamous revolutionary residents,” said the museum’s Sarah Jaworski.

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, Revolutionary and Civil War veterans, politicians and others.

Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery takes place every 30 minutes, 4:00 p.m. through 5:30 p.m., at Winter Street Cemetery on Saturday, October 23. There is a 3 p.m. tour designed especially for families with elementary school aged children, who are invited to wear their Halloween costume while discovering stories of the past and tasting a colonial treat.

All tours will last approximately 45 minutes with guests 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 members’ children, ages 6-18, are $3. All children under 6 are free.

Ticket price includes the cemetery tour and a return pass to visit the museum. To purchase tickets, click here.

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.

AIM to offer Homeschool Days

by ion | Oct 4, 2021 | Events, Family Friendly, For Kids, Homeschool, Programming

On Friday, October 15 and 22, the American Independence Museum in Exeter will host Homeschool Days, a program geared to kids, ages 6 to 11. During the 90-minute program, kids will grapple with the “tricky decision” regarding their stance on the Revolutionary War.

“Would they be a patriot, loyalist, neutral, or something else?” noted museum Executive Director Emma Stratton. “It was not an easy decision for British citizens in the 1770s.”

According to Stratton, a deeper objective behind the program is to spark curiosity in both students and parents.

“Political debates are often reduced to two sides, which oversimplifies the reality of human experience,” she said. “We hope to encourage participants to think about how some of the challenges faced by people in the 1770s have a direct connection to events taking place today.”

Homeschool Days will take place on Friday, October 15 and 22 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am and 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm at the museum’s Folsom Tavern in downtown Exeter.

“Four sessions of this program are offered twice on each Friday, so families have multiple opportunities to access it based on their schedules,” added Stratton.

The cost for the program is $5 for adults, $8 for students over 6, and free for children under 6 years of age. The program fee includes a pass to visit the museum after the program or another day.

Weather permitting, the program will take place under a tent outside Folsom Tavern. Masks will be required indoors, and parents must accompany the program with their child(ren).

To register online, or learn more about the museum, visit Homeschool Days Events.

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.

AIM thanks community and sponsors for successful celebration

by ion | Oct 1, 2021 | Events, For Adults

On Friday, September 17, the American Independence Museum held a birthday party to celebrate its 30th anniversary as a nonprofit and the 300th anniversary of its Ladd-Gilman House.

Built in 1721, the Ladd-Gilman House was home to Nicholas Gilman, Jr., a signer of the Constitution. It also served as Governor’s mansion when Nicholas’ brother, John Taylor Gilman, was Governor. Their father—Nicholas Gilman, Sr.—was the state’s first Treasurer.

“The celebration was well attended and supported by so many sponsors, new and returning,” noted Executive Director Emma Stratton, who said the event raised more than $15,000.

“The proceeds support our continued focus on developing inclusive programs, events and exhibits that meaningfully connect the past with the present,” she added.

Major sponsors of the celebration included Plaistow Oral Surgery, DiTolla Dental, and Foss Motors.

In addition to a silent auction, food and drink, and live music from the Midnight Wrens, the celebration presented visitors with a rare glimpse of the museum’s original Broadside copy of the Declaration of Independence, one of only 26 known to still exist. The copy arrived in Exeter by horseback on July 16, 1776 at which time the state treasurer’s 22-year-old son, John Taylor Gilman, read the document to the residents of Exeter from the town house steps.

“It was incredible to share this document with the community on this special occasion,” said Stratton.

To learn more about the museum, visit 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.