Surf's Up HB International Surfing Museum

411 Olive
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
surfingmuseum.org
714-960-3483

Here's a past exhibition on surf wax prior to the renovation and re-opening of the museum.

By C. MacDonald

The new look Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum has opened a fascinating exhibit, "Famers-On Both Sides of Main Street," featuring 34 Pioneers, Champions and Innovators, who are honored in both the Surfing Walk of Fame (in front of Jacks Surfboards) and the Surfer's Hall of Fame (outside Huntington Surf & Sport, "HSS").

The impressive exhibit features photos, plaques and memorabilia from such famous surfers as Lisa Anderson, Corky Carroll, Mike Doyle, Rick "Rockin' Fig" Fignetti, Jack Haley, Andy Irons, Jack O'Neill, Jericho Poppler, Kelly Slater and Peter "PT" Townend.

The wide open feel museum has a new ceiling. If you look up, you can spot a 1919 wooden Longboard that's 9-foot-6 and weighs 89-pounds dry and other classic surfboards. Bamboo floors add elegance to the art deco building at 411 Olive Ave., just north of Main Street.

There's a new Surf Culture Area, featuring tributes to The Beach Boys, Dick Dale and others. Around the corner is a new wall with the actual cornerstone of the 1914 HB Pier and a tribute to Surfer George Freeth, "The Father of California Surfing." Nearby is a tribute to the Duke Kahanamoku, who did so much to promote surfing around the world.

The exhibit was curated by Dave Reynolds and "PT" Townend, with help from fellow museum board members like Paul Taylor and Cindy Cross.

"It was really something to see this take shape," Cross said. "The HB Marketing and Visitor's Bureau contributed $27,000 for the museum upgrade and between $130,000-$150,000 worth of donated items were made possible because of the efforts of individuals like Contractor Bob Reed, Architect Mike Adams and Lighting Design Alliance's Chip Israel."

She said Israel designed all the unique lighting and got others to donate products (i.e., spotlights and sola tubes) to give the museum a fresh, unique look. "For 5 months different members of the team often worked day and night to create the finished product."

Aaron Pai, owner of HSS, couldn't believe the beauty of the new facility. "It's so cool, open and inviting," said the longtime HB surfer. "It's modern. It's historical. It's timeless."

In the future, visitors even will be able to use a computer to pull up videos of the Famers like 1971 US Surfing Champion Jericho Poppler.

One of the hits is Bruce Brown's actual camera, which he used to film the 1966 mega-classic, "Endless Summer," whose culture remains alive today.

A neat thing about visiting the museum is that you never know who you will run into—from Bruce Brown, Dean Torrance of Jan and Dean, Dick Dale (King of the Surf Guitar) and Chris Farmer of Beach Boys fame to David Nuuhiua (former US Surfing Champion) and members of the legendary local surf group, "The Hole in the Wall Gang" (former National Surfing Team Champions).

The knowledgeable Jeff Marsh gives interesting tours, explaining the history of the museum, what's in it, and how it's evolving. And one must never forget that sweet non-surfing Canadian, Natalie Kotsch, who fought for years to successfully establish a surfing museum in HB.

The museum even has a new HB Marketing & Visitors Bureau "Welcome Center," with magazines and pamphlets about what to do here and in the area. This is a good addition since visitors from around the globe flock to Surf City USA and the museum every year. Be sure and visit the remodeled gift store, where you can purchase some wonderfully-designed shirts and all sorts of surf culture items.