American Independence Museum

The American Independence Museum in Exeter occupies two main buildings: the Ladd-Gilman House built in 1721 and Folsom Tavern built in 1775, with both structures sitting on roughly one acre of grounds. The rooms inside display period furnishings, household items, and documents from the era of American independence.

The museum is centered on two buildings whose stories trace back to the early 1700s and witnessed the struggle for American independence. Collections were later brought together to preserve these locations as memorials to the nation's founding.

The museum displays one of the 26 remaining Dunlap Broadsides of the Declaration of Independence along with original Constitution drafts that show visitors how these founding documents looked in their earliest forms. These items help people understand the weight these papers held for the nation's founding generation.

You can explore the exhibitions through guided or self-guided tours of both buildings. Plan for a few hours and wear comfortable shoes, as the experience involves walking through both structures and viewing their interiors.

George Washington visited Folsom Tavern in 1789 during his presidential tour through the new states. This moment lingers in the minds of visitors as they stand in the same room where this event took place.

Website: https://independencemuseum.org

GPS coordinates: 42.98177,-70.94923

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:05