Museum of British Surfing

The Museum of British Surfing is a Museum based in Braunton, Devon; the museum contains exhibits relating to the history of surfing in the United Kingdom. The Museum of British Surfing was founded by ITV News journalist and surfing historian Pete (Peter) Robinson as a non-profit organisation called 'The Surfing Museum' in 2003. It was originally an online UK surf heritage resource called the surfing museum.co.uk. The first public 'Exhibition of British Surfing History' was opened on 6 April 2004 in Brighton's heritage fishing quarter. The project was funded by the founder, along with an initial donation from the family of the late Viscount Ted Deerhurst and ongoing sponsorship from the surfing company Oxbow. The museum displayed Robinson's collection of British surfing memorabilia. Through the Touring Exhibitions Group (TEG) two main displays the 'Exhibition of British Surfing History' and 'An Art History of British Surfing' toured locations in the UK between 2004 and 2011 including London, Newquay, Aberdeen, Thurso, Marton, Brighton, Havant and Tynemouth. These early exhibitions included the loan of a historic wooden surfboard, belonging to Hawaiian royalty, high chief Abner Paki, that dated back to the time of Captain James Cook. This was the first time it had been exhibited outside its native Hawaii. The board was loaned by the Bishop Museum in Honolulu and was displayed at the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum in Marton near Middlesbrough in north-east England. This exhibition also featured a visit by the Hawaiian cultural ambassador Tom Pohaku Stone, who carried out a public shaping of a traditional 'olo' surfboard which he donated to the Cook museum. The surfing museum still maintains a mobile display which travels to surfing spots around the country. An oral history project, The First Wave, which collected the memories of early British surfers received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Registered Charity status was awarded in 2010, with the updated name…