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
2025 Annual Open Day Cancelled.
We customarily hold an Open Day at the Retreat each spring for people to enjoy the garden and view the house exterior, however both 2023 and 2024 were notable for the wrong reasons with extensive storm damage occurring across the property including losing several historic trees.
Instead of an Open Day this year we will be concentrating on working bees, garden development, and new plantings which needs to happen in order to conserve remaining heritage plants, and design the rest of the section in consultation with heritage garden specialists.
We look forward to welcoming you once again when the garden is back to looking its best.