If you surf or are just a casual fan, you’ve likely visited the Surfing Florida Museum which was originally housed in Delray Beach, and more recently, Lake Park. However, this special place now has new, larger digs at The Warehouse District in West Palm Beach. From an amazing collection of vintage boards to historical photos to surf memorabilia, the museum takes you back to the 60’s when surfing really took off in South Florida, through today. In short, their mission is “to document Florida’s surfing history” and they do a damn fine job of it.
On October 20th, the museum celebrated their grand opening and according to Executive Director Tom Warnke it was quite the party. “We went through multiple kegs of beer from Steamhorse Brewery, located right next to us. When we ran out they brought us some more. We had people attend from as far away as Miami, Cocoa Beach, and the west coast of Florida. Many brought us some surfing and even skating memorabilia—our new space is filling up fast!”
The new space at the Warehouse District has everyone involved stoked, according to Warnke. “We’re now considered a destination attraction and we’re part of ‘Discover The Palm Beaches.’ The 15 volunteers on our Board of Trustees feel the response has been great. We have awesome neighbors here at the Warehouse District so the synergy is terrific. We hope to be here for a long time.’
You can support the museum in a couple of ways; by donating your time as a volunteer, or by donating money to help fund the operation. Students can earn community service hours by volunteering and adults can help out a few hours a week. Hours are Thursday through Sunday from 2-7pm.
1400 Elizabeth Ave., WPB
