One hundred years of waveriding (surfing) in the English county of Falmouth will be celebrated at National Maritime Museum Cornwall until January 2027. The exhibit explores the history and cultural impact of surfing in this delightful part of England’s southern coast.

© National Maritime Museum Cornwall

Celebrating the culture, craft, art and surf scene in the pretty town of Cornwall, this exhibition embraces the wooden bellyboards of the 1920s made by local coffin makers. There were many stand-up surf pioneers of the 1930s and 1940s, photos of the birth of the surf industry in the 1960s, artwork of the iconic longboards in the 2000s, and images of the para-surfing World Champions of today.

As surprising as it is, Cornwall has evolved into “the California of the United Kingdom,” becoming a breeding ground for world champion surfers and many creative industries, from board-building to wetsuit production, magazine media to filmmaking and fashion.

Highlights of the exhibit include 100 surfboards from the early 4-foot wooden bellyboards to pioneering eco and adaptive boards of the future, including those used by global surfing champions such as Robyn Davies, Pegleg Bennett, Charlotte Banfield and Ben Skinner.

© National Maritime Museum Cornwall

Measuring in at an impressive 37 feet, the original record-setting, world’s biggest surfboard is displayed, able to carry 15 surfers at the same time. There are original artboards, including the first-ever public exhibition of Damian Hirst’s butterfly board, on loan from the Maia Norman collection and a recreation of Newquay’s original Bilbo Surf Shop, as well as an original 1965 VW Transporter campervan.

Also on display are surf posters from the past 100 years, a selection of vintage swimwear and wetsuits from 1930 to 1960, and surf magazines. National Maritime Museum Cornwall has 15 galleries and more than five floors exploring the influence of the sea on history and culture.

© National Maritime Museum Cornwall

Visitors to the museum should plan to spend some time at the charming Waterside Café, which offers drinks, cakes, pasties, sausage rolls and snacks, as well as stunning views over Falmouth’s harbor. Cornwall and other historic coastal towns in the area offer numerous guest houses, hotels and restaurants, and natural attractions.