Surfing Heritage Foundation

Surfing Heritage and Culture Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, presenting, and promoting surfing’s heritage for the appreciation and education of current and future generations, and to achieving our goal of surfing being more accurately understood, represented, and enjoyed. PRESERVATION: Focusing on the complete spectrum of surfing’s history and development, including but not limited to significant surfboards, photography and the full range of other forms of information and objects of cultural value. PRESENTATION: Establishing a world-class museum/resource facility, including an outreach program that creates exhibits and develops venues for effective traveling and/or offsite display: that this facility might serve as a symbolic center for the wave riding culture in the United States, dedicated to the understanding and appreciation of surfing as a sport, lifestyle, and culture.  PROMOTION: Building a community which actively supports the Surfing Heritage with fund-raising, promotion, and advocacy.

Nirvana. The Holy Grail. Mecca. The Smithsonian of surfing. Call it what you please, but whether it's authentic and history changing boards, wetsuits, trunks, film , photography, new media channels, events, shaping, curatorial, oral or archived history and ephemera, we are at the top of the surf culture food chain. That's because we don't just collect, restore and preserve. We pay homage to a craft. We respect surfing's subtle--and not so subtle--nuances. We dance with the Ocean. And we share the fiery stoke of surfing. Not just as a sport, sub-culture or lifestyle, but also as an individual form of expression. SHACC is held up by 3 Pillars:Preservation:  From event and history changing information to items of extreme cultural value, SHACC will always serve as a capstone for surfing's history and development. Presentation:  With our vast knowledge and expertise on the topic of surfing and surf culture, SHACC will be home to some of surfing's most important, influential and historical ephemera. It is our goal to showcase SHACC in a world-class setting that can be easily understood by anyone who has an interest in surfing as a sport, lifestyle or culture. Promotion: SHACC will build a community of ambassadors who actively support SHACC with fund-raising, promotion, advocacy and integrity.

Broadening and deepening our audience and membership is an
ongoing strategic goal of SHACC and we accomplish that by continuing to offer
engaging programs. In 2017, we curated four exhibitions. The first, “Surf
Club”, a history of surf clubs, starting with the Hui Nalu and the Outrigger
Canoe Clubs right up through the present day and featuring members from the
Coalition of Surfing Clubs. Second, “Harbour Surfboards – A Retrospective”,
featuring key vintage Harbour surfboards, photos, art, tools and other classic
memorabilia. Third, “Surf to Skate”, a reflection of how skateboarding was born
from surfing and how they influence each other. Currently on display, “Bruce
Brown – A Life Well Lived”, covering all aspects of Bruce Brown’s life
including film making, motorcycle riding, family and the Endless Summer. And a
traveling exhibition, “On the Origin of Surfing”, based on the book,
Illustrated Atlas of Surfing History, telling the story of wave riding from its
roots in antiquity to its emergence as an integral part of world culture, which
previewed at Surf Expo January 2018 and will be exhibited at SHACC late 2018.
To bring these exhibitions to life, SHACC combined original art, photos, videos
and a superb array of artifacts. With all of SHACC’s exhibitions we strive for
them to be positive and educational – but first and foremost an engaging
cultural experience. Surfing is a unique sport with a positive, dynamic and healthy image that greatly appeals to the general public.

The Surfing Heritage and Culture Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit and relies on the support of donors to continue its mission. Donations help to ensure that this rich culture will be preserved for the enjoyment and education of future generations. Please refer to the "Programs" section for detailed financial needs.

Surfing Heritage serves anyone that has an appreciation for surfing, world-wide. With events we serve Southern California, but via the internet we serve anyone in the world via our website and our surf channel.

The Surfing Heritage and Culture Center (SHACC) has grown,
rebranded and reconfigured in the last few years transforming ourselves into a
very unique representation of surf culture.  We combine the old Hawaiiana
feel with cutting edge technology and new and exciting exhibits and events. I
encourage anyone to discover or re-discover the Surfing Heritage and Culture
Center to see what we are today and what we will be tomorrow.Opened in 2004 at our current location, the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center, houses one of the greatest collections of surf culture in the world. From the early years to the present day, the SHACC’s collections allow the visitor to experience the surf culture world under one roof. SHACC curates, produces and presents an engaging array of art and cultural exhibits for the enjoyment and education of local residents and visitors from all over the world. In 2016 SHACC presented a variety of exceptional exhibits: The Paskowitz Family, a Surfing Legacy; Treasures from the John Mazza Historic Surfboard Collection; From Plastic To Fantastic; Photos from the SHACC Photo Archive and Surf Club. SHACC continued to promote and present surfing as a culture throughout the year with several book signings with authors’ question/answer discussions; film screenings with special guests from the films in attendance. The Gudauskas brothers movie night of their film, Positive Vibration with over 500 stoked “groms” and their families in attendance. Surfing legend and 1965 World Champ, Felipe Pomar gave a talk on “Surfing until 100.” SHACC participated in the “iheartOC” Giving Day. SHACC hosted monthly Ukulele Lessons in our showroom and began offering Vintage Surfing and Surf Culture photo prints for sale from our vast collection of historic images. Also gave docent-guided tours to school groups and other organizations. SHACC hosts monthly ukulele lessons as a way of sharing Hawaiian/surf culture with the community. Even as we reflect on past accomplishments, it is hard not to think about what lies ahead for the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center. There are always more exhibitions to curate, more objects to conserve, more partnerships to create, and more ideas to explore for increasing and improving access to our world-class collection.

The Surfing Heritage and Culture Center (SHACC) is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and accurate documentation of the heritage and culture of surfing for the appreciation and education of current and future generations.  ESPN has described SHACC as the “Smithsonian” of surfing.  We fulfill our mission through:Preservation:  Focusing on the complete spectrum of surfing’s history and development including, but not limited to, significant surfboards, photography and the full range of other forms of information and objects of cultural value.Presentation:  Establishing a world-class museum/resource facility, including an outreach program that creates exhibits and develops venues for effective traveling and/or offsite display:  that this facility might serve as a symbolic center for the wave riding culture in the United States, dedicated to the understanding and appreciation of surfing as a sport, lifestyle, and culture.Promotion:  Building a community who actively support the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center with fundraising, promotion, and advocacy.It is the “Promotion” aspect of our mission that provides an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.  We are a community of like-minded people that share a deep passion for all that is surfing.  We take our mission seriously and we need your help now, more than ever, to tell the story of surf history and culture for all people to enjoy and appreciate.Glenn BrumagePresident