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“I know no way of judging of the future but by the past.” – Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775, from speech in Virginia Convention, Richmond.
Henry’s words ring true more than 200 years later. The men behind the American Revolution knew they were entering unknown territory when they declared freedom from Great Britain. But their values are still cherished today, values considered traditionally “American” – greater opportunity, freedom from monarchy, and success based upon merit, not social class.
Discover the stories behind America’s revolutionary past and how they relate to your experiences today by visiting the American Independence Museum. Located in historic Exeter, New Hampshire, the museum features stories of the brave men and women who overcame their uncertainties about freedom from Great Britain and established our country.
Tours and exhibits in the museum’s Ladd-Gilman House (1721), a National Landmark Property, introduce you to the Gilman family, prosperous Exeter merchants who become inextricably linked to the Revolution. The Folsom Tavern, down the hill from the Ladd-Gilman House, built c. 1775 by local entrepreneur Colonel Samuel Folsom, was the center of Exeter’s political scene during the Revolution.
The American Independence Museum exhibits highlight the Society of the Cincinnati, the nation’s oldest veterans’ society, and its first president, George Washington. Among the museum’s permanent collection of documents chronicling the nation’s founding are an original Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence and early drafts of the U.S. Constitution. View these fascinating documents during the museum’s annual American Independence Festival. Permanent collections include American furnishings, ceramics, silver, textiles and military ephemera.
Office Hours:
M-F 9:00-4:30 year-round
Museum Hours:
May 18 - Oct. 29, 2011; 10-4pm.
Wednesdays through Saturdays mid-May to last Saturday in October
Guided tours are offered at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m.
Self guided tours are available at any time during regular tour hours (last tour admission sold at 3pm)
School and Group Tours are available year round by appointment. Group rates available.
