Museum of British Surfing
Charity museum in a former railway building at Braunton showing a large collection of British surfboards, magazines and surf memorabilia.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museum of British Surfing traces its roots to 2003, when a donation from the family of Viscount Ted Deerhurst, Britain's first professional surfer, helped launch the project. The founder, Pete Robinson, ran touring exhibitions across the United Kingdom that were seen by around 400,000 people. The museum became a registered charity in 2009 and opened its first permanent venue in Braunton on Good Friday 2012, when it welcomed more than 3,000 visitors in its first three months. It won a Collections Trust award in 2012 and gained full Accreditation from Arts Council England in 2019.
The museum is in The Yard, an old railway building next to the Caen Street car park, on a 74-year lease from Braunton Parish Council. The site also has a skate bowl that is free to use, and the museum sits beside the Tarka Trail.
Most of the founding collection was bought by Pete Robinson between 1997 and 2012 and donated to the charity. It is described as possibly the largest and most comprehensive public collection of surfboards and surf memorabilia in Europe. The aim is to hold at least one board from every British shaper, together with magazines, books, advertisements, films and items showing the development of wetsuits, fins, leashes and wax.
Highlights
- More than 200 surfboards dating back about a century
- Aim of holding a board from every British shaper
- First British surfing magazine and a wide range of surf publications
- Spotter's trail and surfboard art for children
- UK surf history timeline and surf spots map on the website
Permanent exhibition
- British surfing collection – Surfboards, magazines, books, films and equipment charting the history of surfing in Britain.
- Founded
- 2012
- Operated by
- Museum of British Surfing (registered charity)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £2 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freeChildren are free. |
| Seniors | freeSeniors are free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · A companion needed to assist a visitor with a disability is free. |
Tickets include an optional 10 per cent Gift Aid donation to the charity. The gift shop is free to enter, and return-visit offers apply to full-price adult and concession tickets only.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Children enter free. Young visitors can try a spotter's trail with different levels of difficulty, a surfboard art competition and an area about what should and should not be on beaches.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Exeter Road (George Hotel) · 100 m
Buses stop 100 metres away on Exeter Road at the George Hotel and 50 metres away on Caen Street; routes 21/21a (Stagecoach) and 303 (Filers) serve Braunton. The nearest railway station is Barnstaple, 6 miles away. Coaches should use the designated area at the Tesco store on Vellator Way, a walk of under 10 minutes along the Tarka Trail.
By car
Paid parking
Caen Street public car park, opposite Cawthornes Supermarket; the first hour costs 20p and motorcycles and scooters park free. An overflow area is provided for longer vehicles.
The museum is beside the Tarka Trail, about 6 miles from Barnstaple, and there are cycle stands at the skate bowl and at Braunton Countryside Centre.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
There is a gift shop, and the site has a free skate bowl.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
The Green Room, about 8 by 5 metres with an adjacent open kitchen area and toilets, can be hired for surf-related lifestyle, youth or community activities. Prices depend on the activity and its length, and quotes come through the contact page.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Good to know | Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome. |
|---|
