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A tour of the Ladd-Gilman House (c. 1721), a registered National Landmark property, offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the Gilman Family between 1720 and 1820.

Trace the lives of the Gilmans and the course of early New Hampshire history through key events such as Colonial rebellion against the British, the move of New Hampshire's capital to Exeter during the Revolution, the colony's declaration of independence, and the founding of a new nation. You'll also learn about the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire, a fraternal civic organization founded in 1783 at our Folsom Tavern.

The Collections

The highlights of the museum's collections are two original drafts of the U.S. Constitution (Committee of Style and Committee of Detail) and the Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence. Together, these documents are compelling records of our fledgling country's political beliefs.

Other important items in the collection include letters and documents by General George Washington, General Henry Knox; and Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant; portraits of George Washington and other statesmen; furnishings, tableware, silver and decorative arts from the 18th and 19th centuries; and 18th century weapons and military ephemera.

The Exhibit Rooms

Exhibit rooms focus on specific areas of interest related to the collections and are examples of period rooms as well as formal exhibits. An orientation gallery introduces visitors to 18th century Exeter, when the town was a bustling, dynamic seaport. Displayed are artifacts belonging to the Gilman family, residents of the Ladd-Gilman House until the late 19th century. Many of the artifacts were uncovered in a 2003 archaeological survey on museum grounds.

Other rooms and exhibits focus on such topics as the history of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and how these key documents evolved. The Sullivan Room evokes an 18th century parlor as it may have appeared when 22-year-old John Taylor Gilman read the Declaration of Independence to Exeter townspeople on July 16, 1776. In the Cilley Room, New Hampshire's role in the war, its militia and the Northern Campaign of the Revolution are explored using prints, weaponry and original military papers. The history of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire is explored in further detail in the Treat Room.