Welcome to The Surfing Museum - the home of British surfing history.

We're documenting our rich and diverse surf culture and its heritage, capturing the soul of British surfing.

We founded Europe's first surfing museum in 2003, and are the only full time body researching UK surf history.

We're a not for profit organisation applying to become a charity.

Our British Surfing Museum has the most extensive and historically significant collection of vintage surfboards, literature and memorabilia on public display and for academic research in Britain.

Most importantly it’s a museum being built by you, the British surfer.

The Surfing Museum has launched a fundraising appeal which will help us and two other worthwhile organisations.

Perhaps you have visited one of our free travelling exhibitions or used our services for research - well now's the time to give a little back please!

You can read more about the appeal and what we're up to next year by clicking on the link below.

Don't forget to check out the great new surf museum t-shirts in our online shop.  

For more on the appeal and details of our next exhibitions - click here

Britain’s links with surfing date back hundreds of years to the time when Captain James Cook first stumbled across our beautiful pastime in Tahiti and Hawaii in the 18th Century. People have been riding waves for fun here in the British Isles for more than a century.

Here you’ll find a brief history, and images of a small part of our collection of classic surfboards and surfing memorabilia. The pages are constantly updated as new information is uncovered.

Who was Britain's first surfer? Was it the Hawaiian princess who lived in England in 1892 - or did Cook's sailors ride the waves on surfboards a century earlier?

The Surfing Museum - documenting life now, and the long and winding path that led us all to the waves. Note - our history pages are currently being re-written.

Click for more British surfing history

Looking for Christmas presents for the surfer in your life? You can now buy British Surfing Museum t-shirts, and great surf history books in our online shop.

We have the perfect range of surfing gifts, or just treat yourself!

Check out our exclusive selection of awesome prints from the lens of surf photography pioneer Tom Blake for sale.

For orders outside the UK, or if you have any queries or special requests - please email the shop.

All proceeds go to The Surfing Museum, so a huge thanks for your ongoing support. Without it none of this would be possible.

Enter The Surfing Museum shop here.