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Tour Information: (603) 772-2622
Thursday – Saturday: 10 am to 4 pm

Tag: story time

Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery Tours

Date: October 21, 2023
Times: 3:00, 4:00, 4:30, 5:00, 5:30
Location: Winter Street Cemetery, Exeter

3 p.m. Family Tour Cost:
$15 Family ticket for up to four
$10 Member Family ticket for up to four
$3 each additional person

Regular Tour Cost:
$10 Adult
$7 Child (ages 6-18)
$5 Member
$3 Member Child (ages 6-18)
free for children under 6The American Independence Museum invites you to join them at the Winter Street Cemetery to celebrate the waning light and autumn season. Your colonial guide will meet you at the Winter Street Cemetery where you will see the final resting place and the graves of many of Exeter’s famous and infamous revolutionary residents, hear their stories, and learn about this historic cemetery.

Families with elementary school age children are invited to join the 3:00 tour. Join us in your Halloween costume as we stroll the cemetery, discover stories of the past and receive a colonial treat!

Please note:

This event does not take place at the museum. Ample on-street parking is available at Winter Street Cemetery. This is an outdoor event held rain or shine. Please dress accordingly.

All tours are limited to 10 people and will be held exclusively outside.

  1. Hand sanitizer will be provided at the entrance/exit point.
  2. No public restroom available.
  3. Sunset is at 5:45 pm. If you are on the 5:00 or 5:30 pm tour, please bring a flashlight.
  4. The cemetery is on uneven ground. Please wear comfortable footwear and watch your step as you move through the cemetery.

This program is made possible by a grant from New Hampshire Humanities. Learn more at www.nhhumanities.org.

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’.

Ghosts of the Past – Tavern Open House

18th Century lady talking to child

Date: October 21, 2023
Time: 10:00 am to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Folsom Tavern, 164 Water St., Exeter, NH
Cost: FREE

Exeter’s Halloween Parade is scheduled for October 21st. Starting and ending at Swasey Parkway, the parade marches right around the Independence Museum! So we’re opening up Folsom Tavern for a free open house and trick-or-treat. Get in costume and come play in the 18th Century.

This program is made possible by a grant from New Hampshire Humanities. Learn more at www.nhhumanities.org.

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’.

Ghosts of the Past – Tavern Open House #2

18th Century lady talking to child

Date: October 21, 2023
Time: 10:00 am to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Folsom Tavern, 164 Water St., Exeter, NH
Cost: FREE

Exeter’s Halloween Parade is scheduled for October 21st. Starting and ending at Swasey Parkway, the parade marches right around the Independence Museum! So we’re opening up Folsom Tavern for a free open house and trick-or-treat. Get in costume and come play in the 18th Century.

This program is made possible by a grant from New Hampshire Humanities. Learn more at www.nhhumanities.org.

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’.

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Kids are Encouraged to Play in Foy Family Children’s Library

Three individuals stand in a room full of child friendly 18th century reproductions including a wall of dress up garments.

A project that began before the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, the Foy Family Children’s Library is now open at the American Independence Museum. Located in the museum’s Folsom Tavern (c. 1775), the library features a reading nook with comfortable seating, curated books that focus on 18th century life, dress-up area with Revolutionary-era clothing, play kitchen, games, and more.

“This is a child-friendly space where everything is touchable,” said the museum’s Program Manager Sarah Jaworski, who selected the books with Melissa Foy, a retired school media specialist.

Melissa and husband Jeff have long been supporters of the museum. Their financial gift made the library possible, an opportunity that “excites” them both.

“We want to see kids get in there and use it,” said Jeff, who has also supported the museum for years as co-owner of Foy Insurance. “I hope the space inspires kids to learn about history and make that part of their studies and the thing they are interested in at school.”

According to Jaworski, the newly transformed space provides a unique opportunity for kids and families.

“It’s a space where kids can be kids and be free to explore — this is a welcoming space where kids can learn through play,” she said. “The old adage, ‘Look, don’t touch,’ won’t apply here.”

The Foy Family Children’s Library is also part of the museum’s larger initiative to foster inclusion and diversity.

“We are talking with Twenty-One Senses, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing inclusion for children with invisible disabilities, to explore different uses of this space,” said Jaworski. “We want kids with sensory challenges to feel welcome here, so this is an important initiative that addresses real community needs.”

Interim Executive Director Jennifer Carr agrees and added, “We are committed to developing our entire museum campus into an open, inviting, inclusive place…and it starts with the kids.”

To learn more about the museum, visit independencemuseum.org.

About the 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’.

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Mini-Camps explore being “Reflective Patriots”

An adult dressed in 18th century clothing sits by an open camp fire and bakes flatbreads using the embers, a ring of children watch

Welcoming campers back, the American Independence Museum is pleased to offer Thursday Mini-Camps for children ages 6-10.

Mini-Camp sessions will run Thursday July 14, 21, and 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the grounds of the museum’s historic Folsom Tavern. During each session, campers will immerse themselves in hands-on 18th century life, uncovering the stories of the people who helped build our nation and how they can continue to be a part of America’s unfolding story.

Each mini-camp will focus on one of the following themes: freedom, compromise, and we the people. Campers will look at what freedom meant to different people living in colonial America, how these perspectives got involved in the fight, and how compromise between groups was reached in order to found the United States of America. Over the course of the summer, participants will get to dress in historic 18th-century clothing, try their hand at colonial crafts, see what revolutionary camp life was like, and create their own “printing press.”

Campers will uncover the stories of individuals who have the power to make change and keep America strong.

“We are so excited to offer summer programming that is fun and engaging where campers won’t even realize they are participating in civics lessons. Our campers will come away from the experience feeling empowered and excited to be active members of their communities,” said Program Manager Sarah Jaworski.

To register for Thursday Mini-Camps or learn more about the museum, visit independencemuseum.org.

About the 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’.

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Traveling Trunk Looking for a Lift in 2022/23 School Year

Elementary school aged children holding up paper plate masks with Revolutionary Era characters drawn on.

Logging 18,350 miles and educating 520 secondary students throughout the U.S. in 2021, the Traveling Trunk program has been an educational staple at the American Independence Museum since 2016. Registration for the program for the 2022/23 school year opened on May 1.

Shipped throughout the U.S., the trunk contains 70+ high quality reproduction items that range from clothing to replica personal care items and games. Hands-on learning, noted Program Manager Sarah Jaworski, is the intent behind the program, which is offered at no charge to schools.

“Teachers are provided with suggestions and ideas on activities to go along with the curriculum,” she said.

While aimed toward students in the 3rd through 5th grade, the program’s curriculum is flexible and can be customized for all grade levels. Developed with initial seed funding from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the program relies on corporate funding to pay for associated shipping costs and replacement of replica educational items.

The only caveat with the upcoming school year, however, is the museum is currently looking for corporate support. “Shipping is the biggest expense along with the extra time needed to prepare a trunk to travel,” said Museum Executive Director Emma Stratton, who estimated the program’s annual costs at $5,000.

As for the benefits of sponsoring the trunk—either monthly or for an entire school year—Stratton said the program is unique in that it provides insight into New Hampshire’s colonial history. “This is a chance for students to learn more about not just New Hampshire, but Exeter’s status and role during the years leading up to and after the Revolutionary War.”

To learn more about the Traveling Trunk, including sponsorship opportunities, email Jaworski at [email protected], or visit independencemuseum.org.

About the 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’.

Homeschool Days

Homeschool Days

Cost
$8 children 6+
$5 adults
free for children under 6

​This is not a drop-off program. Parents must accompany children for the duration of the program.

Patriot, loyalists, neutral or something else? It wasn’t always easy to know what side to be on. Wrestle with the tricky decision of deciding your stance. Uncover hidden identities, secret lives, and traitorous deals. Become a spy in Washington’s famous Culper Spy Ring.Please Note:

  • All efforts will be taken to hold this event outdoors under a tent if weather permits.
  • Masks are required indoors. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to provide a safe and educational experience for you!
  • Program fee includes a pass to visit the museum after the program or another day.
  • Due to the historic nature of the buildings, the museum is not handicap accessible
  • This is a 90 minute program.
  • Program capacity is set at 12 kids per session.

Homeschool Days

Homeschool Days

Cost
$8 children 6+
$5 adults
free for children under 6

​This is not a drop-off program. Parents must accompany children for the duration of the program.

Patriot, loyalists, neutral or something else? It wasn’t always easy to know what side to be on. Wrestle with the tricky decision of deciding your stance. Uncover hidden identities, secret lives, and traitorous deals. Become a spy in Washington’s famous Culper Spy Ring.Please Note:

  • All efforts will be taken to hold this event outdoors under a tent if weather permits.
  • Masks are required indoors. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to provide a safe and educational experience for you!
  • Program fee includes a pass to visit the museum after the program or another day.
  • Due to the historic nature of the buildings, the museum is not handicap accessible
  • This is a 90 minute program.
  • Program capacity is set at 12 kids per session.

Homeschool Days

Homeschool Days

Cost
$8 children 6+
$5 adults
free for children under 6

​This is not a drop-off program. Parents must accompany children for the duration of the program.

Patriot, loyalists, neutral or something else? It wasn’t always easy to know what side to be on. Wrestle with the tricky decision of deciding your stance. Uncover hidden identities, secret lives, and traitorous deals. Become a spy in Washington’s famous Culper Spy Ring.Please Note:

  • All efforts will be taken to hold this event outdoors under a tent if weather permits.
  • Masks are required indoors. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to provide a safe and educational experience for you!
  • Program fee includes a pass to visit the museum after the program or another day.
  • Due to the historic nature of the buildings, the museum is not handicap accessible
  • This is a 90 minute program.
  • Program capacity is set at 12 kids per session.

Homeschool Days

Homeschool Days

Cost
$8 children 6+
$5 adults
free for children under 6

​This is not a drop-off program. Parents must accompany children for the duration of the program.

Patriot, loyalists, neutral or something else? It wasn’t always easy to know what side to be on. Wrestle with the tricky decision of deciding your stance. Uncover hidden identities, secret lives, and traitorous deals. Become a spy in Washington’s famous Culper Spy Ring.Please Note:

  • All efforts will be taken to hold this event outdoors under a tent if weather permits.
  • Masks are required indoors. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to provide a safe and educational experience for you!
  • Program fee includes a pass to visit the museum after the program or another day.
  • Due to the historic nature of the buildings, the museum is not handicap accessible
  • This is a 90 minute program.
  • Program capacity is set at 12 kids per session.
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