American Independence Museum, Revolutionary War museum in Exeter, United States
The American Independence Museum in Exeter, New Hampshire, is a history museum made up of two preserved buildings: the Ladd-Gilman House from 1721 and Folsom Tavern from 1775. The rooms inside both structures display period furnishings, household objects, and documents tied to the era of American independence.
The Ladd-Gilman House was built in 1721 and served as a home and administrative center during the independence movement, while Folsom Tavern was erected in 1775 and functioned as a gathering place for local society. The two buildings were later brought together under a shared mission to keep the memory of the founding era alive.
The museum holds one of only 26 surviving Dunlap Broadsides of the Declaration of Independence, which visitors can view up close. Alongside it, early drafts of the Constitution give a sense of how these founding texts looked before they were finalized.
Both buildings can be visited on a guided tour or explored at your own pace. Since the visit involves walking through two separate structures and their interiors, comfortable shoes and a few hours of free time are a good idea.
George Washington stopped at Folsom Tavern in 1789 during his presidential tour of the new states, making it one of the few surviving buildings in the country where he is known to have spent time. Visitors can stand in the same room where that stop took place.
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