American Independence Center

Architecture Tour
2022-08-10 12:30 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Ladd-Gilman House, 1 Governors Ln, Exeter, NH, 03833, United States
Date: Wednesday, August 10 and Saturday, August 13Time: 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.Location: Ladd-Gilman HouseCost: $5 Members/ $10 Non-Members
Stop by for a ‘behind the scenes’ look at the Ladd-Gilman House and Folsom Tavern! Learn about the evolution of the buildings, decorative styles, and architectural features that make them unique. Put your thinking cap on while you look for clues around the rooms, closets and attics. Tours will take place on Wednesday, August 10 and Saturday, August 13 at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. and last approximately 90 minutes. They will depart from the Ladd-Gilman House.Note: Due to the historic nature of our buildings, they are not handicap accessible. This tour will include many areas of the buildings not typically open to the public. Guests should be comfortable navigating uneven floors, steep staircases, low ceilings and the occasional spider web.
About American Independence Center
Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Center 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’.

Center Tours
2021-09-02 10:00 - 16:00 | Ladd-Gilman House, 1 Governors Ln, Exeter, NH, 03833, United States
Masks are required.
Cost:

$8 – Adults
$6 – Seniors, Students, Educators & First Responders
$4 – Children (ages 6-18)
FREE for Center Members and Veterans.

Ladd-Gilman House Tours (10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm & 3 pm): Our trained docents will lead you on an hour-long exploration of important moments in our nation’s history, as seen through the lens of New Hampshire, and hear untold stories from voices beyond the battlefield. We will explore not only the events that shaped the foundations of the American nation, but also the people who contributed to the cause of independence, some of whom will be very familiar and others who may be new to you.
Folsom Tavern Tours (11 am & 1 pm): Our trained docents will lead you on a tour that will will examine Folsom Tavern’s unique history, the place that taverns held in colonial and revolutionary history and the different experiences that people had in taverns. This is an immersive, sensory-friendly tour and guests are encouraged to sit on the chairs and touch the objects on view. A children’s room, complete with period clothing and books, is also featured on the tour. This tour is recommended for all ages.
All guided tours are limited to six participants and depart from the Ladd-Gilman House. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Visitors are also welcome to take a self-guided tour of Ladd-Gilman House at any time during our open hours, Wednesday-Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm. Self-guided tickets can be purchased at the time of visit. Folsom Tavern is open by guided tour only.Due to guide availability the last Ladd-Gilman guided tour on Friday will begin at noon.
Other dates and times are also subject to guide availability.
About the American Independence CenterThe American Independence Center 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.

American Independence Festival
2022-07-16 10:00 - 18:00 | Ladd-Gilman House, 1 Governors Ln, Exeter, NH, 03833, United States
Date: Saturday, July 16Time: 10 am – 6 pmLocation: American Independence Center GroundsCost:Adult: $10Child (ages 4-18): $4Children under 4: FREEVeteran, Active or Retired Military: FREECenter Members: FREE
2022 Festival
Join us Saturday, July 16 for festivities on museum grounds. Make sure to check back in here as we update the festival program with confirmed presenters and activities. We invite you to engage with us as we celebrate, commemorate, and learn.
Festival Program Includes:

Members Evening
2022-05-12 17:00 - 19:00 | Ladd-Gilman House, 1 Governors Ln, Exeter, NH, 03833, United States
Date: Thursday, May 12Time: 5-7 p.m.Location: Ladd-Gilman TerraceThis event is members only
The American Independence Center invites our members to a special after hours event where they will have the opportunity to go on tours of the museum and celebrate the 2022 season opening over light refreshments.
About American Independence Center
Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Center 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’.

Tavern Talk: Lafayette and Human Rights
2022-05-11 18:30 - 19:30 | Folsom Tavern, 164 Water Street, Exeter, NH, 03833, United States
Program Date: Wednesday, May 11
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Location: in person at the Folsom Taven
Post Cost: free
Post Capacity: 30This program is made possible thanks to New Hampshire Humanities Humanities To Go.Lafayette’s first foray into human rights work was during the American Revolution which he saw as a cause important to all people. He continued to promote universal natural rights throughout his life. During the French Revolution he drafted “the Rights of Man and the Citizen” and later supported other revolutions in Europe and South America as well as causes designed to deliver human rights to the oppressed. In particular, the abolition of slavery engaged Lafayette continuously, from the American Revolution and his return tour of the United States until his death in 1834. Lafayette said: “I would never have drawn my sword in the cause of America, if I could have conceived that thereby I was founding a land of slavery.”
About the Presenter
Alan R. Hoffman obtained his BA in History from Yale College and JD from Harvard Law School. He “discovered” Lafayette in 2002 and spent two years translating Auguste Levasseur’s Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825, the first-hand account of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour of America, which was published in 2007. President of the American Friends of Lafayette and the Massachusetts Lafayette Society, Hoffman has lectured in 15 of the 24 states that Lafayette visited on the Farewell Tour.
About American Independence Center
Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Center 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’.

Tavern Talk: Does Truth Matter?
2022-03-23 18:30 - 19:30 | Online
This virtual event is free. Registration required.What is truth? Does truth exist? Does truth matter? This event is a facilitated discussion of these and related questions about one of the oldest topics in philosophy: truth. After a brief introduction to some basic concepts and distinctions, Dr. Tepley will lead the audience in a conversation about these questions. The goal is not to tell attendees what to believe but rather to give them the opportunity explore these questions, and possible answers to them, together as a group. If you like big ideas and stimulating conversation, then this event is for you. Come ready to think, to share, and to learn!
