THE WILLIAMS MUSEUM
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Welcome to the Henry and William Williams Museum website, which showcases ‘The Retreat’, an historic house at Pakaraka in Northland, New Zealand, built for Henry and Marianne Williams in 1853.
While the 'Retreat' is currently not open on a regular basis, this 'virtual museum' enables you to view the house and garden, items from a collection of family possessions, and learn something of the history of the pioneering missionary brothers, Henry and William Williams, and their families. Collectively they played an important part in shaping relationships between Māori and Pakeha in Aotearoa/New Zealand in the early to mid nineteenth century.
To navigate the site click on the menu at the top of the page
2023 Annual Open Day .
We customarily hold an Open Day at the Retreat each spring for people to enjoy the garden and view the exterior of this important heritage house.
2023 has been the year of the Williams Family's bicentennial reunion in Paihia in April, so instead of an Open Day the Retreat was a major feature of reunion activities for, so will not be opening to the wider public again later in the year.
Notice of the 2024 Open Day will be posted here when a date is confirmed.