The upcoming Tauranga Museum in New Zealand has acquired the famous Dusty Waddell Collection, known for its classic Kiwi surfboards and surfing memorabilia. This collection, which includes over 130 surfboards and a variety of vintage items, will be available for future generations to enjoy once the museum is built.
Dusty Waddell, a well-known local businessman and surfing enthusiast, curated this collection. It represents New Zealand’s surfing history from the 1960s to the 1980s. Waddell expressed his delight that the collection will be kept together and housed in the new museum.
The collection began in 2005 when Waddell’s son bought a longboard, reigniting Waddell’s interest in surfing. Greg McManus, director of arts at Tauranga City Council’s Culture & Heritage, praised the collection, calling it likely the best of its kind ever offered for sale in New Zealand.
James Jacobs, president of Bay Boardriders, highlighted the significant influence of surfing on New Zealand culture. He noted that it’s fitting for the collection to be housed in Tauranga, where the country’s first national surfing competition was held in 1963.
The Dusty Waddell Collection will join over 33,000 artifacts in the Tauranga Heritage Collection, currently stored in a large, climate-controlled warehouse in Mount Maunganui. The new Tauranga Museum, set to open in 2028, will offer visitors an immersive journey through the city’s rich heritage and New Zealand’s vibrant surfing history. The museum is part of a larger project, Te Manawataki o Te Papa, which will transform the city center into a community space with a museum, library, public meeting house, and exhibition gallery. Construction is set to begin this year.
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