How the Past Shaped Our Present

When: 01 February 2020 to 31 December 2020
Where: Museum of British Surfing
Time: 11am - 3pm
Cost: £2.00
Suitable for: Family friendly

The Museum fo British Surfing has reopened for 2020 with an exciting new exhibition “How the past shaped our present” where we will be exploring how the shapers of the past have influenced the surfboard shapers of today who are keeping the traditions and heritage of British surfboard shaping alive.

In the exhibition for 2020 you will see how we have gone full circle from the earliest wooden bellyboards of the 1920s to them being redefined by todays craftsmen. How the early “kookbox” constructions have evolved into beautifully crafted sustainable wooden surfboards. And how present day shapers are keeping alive the tradition of hand shaped quality boards built for British surf breaks. 

As well as looking at the UK based pioneering shapers through the decades, we are also focussing on the influences that visiting shapers from Australia, New Zealand, the USA and beyond had on the fledgling British surfboard manufacturing industry and how they helped to develop our very own unique British surfing scene.

“How the past shaped our present” is planned to be an annually changing exhibition which will be running over the next 3 years as we recognise and celebrate those talented shapers and craftspeople who have been instrumental in building the British surfboard industry and have shaped, sanded and polished their way into British surfing folklore.

In addition to the main exhibition, we also have managed to get Ryan Maddocks to open the doors of his board shed and display some rare classics in our “Collectors Corner".