SoCal has long been one of the world’s surfing capitals, drawing everyone from first-time wave chasers to world champions. And at the heart of that culture sits Huntington Beach, A.K.A. “Surf City USA”…
And starting July 24, one of its most beloved attractions is making a major comeback as the International Surfing Museum reopens after relocating to a brand-new home, marking the biggest change in its nearly four-decade history.
After spending 35 years at its Olive Avenue location, the museum has moved into an 8,800-square-foot space inside the Main Street Library, becoming part of Huntington Beach’s growing Cultural Hub alongside the Huntington Beach Art Center.
The expanded venue gives the museum room for larger exhibitions, interactive displays, educational programming, and a significantly enhanced visitor experience. According to museum officials, the move was designed to create a more accessible space that better showcases surfing’s global history.
A bigger home celebrating 50 years of professional surfing
The museum’s grand reopening coincides with the debut of World Surfing League: 50 Years of Professional Surfing, a new exhibition commemorating the golden anniversary of the sport’s premier competitive organization.
Visitors can expect historic surfboards, championship memorabilia, rare photographs, archival footage, personal artifacts, and several items on display for the first time. The opening celebration will also honor Peter “PT” Townend, who became the first-ever World Professional Surfing Champion in 1976.
Home to the world’s largest surfboard
Among the museum highlights, visitors can find the Guinness World Records-certified largest surfboard on Earth, measuring an astonishing 42 feet 1.5 inches long, more than 11 feet wide, and weighing approximately 1,300 pounds. Built for Huntington Beach’s Epic Big Board Ride in 2015, the massive board successfully carried 66 surfers on a single wave, setting another world record in the process.
A museum preserving surfing’s global story
Founded in 1987 by Natalie Kotsch and Ann Beasley, the International Surfing Museum was created with a mission to preserve surfing’s culture, heritage, and pioneers from around the world. Interestingly, Kotsch wasn’t even a surfer herself… She simply fell in love with Huntington Beach’s culture and recognized the importance of preserving its history for future generations.
