You would never think that a Shoe Museum could be so interesting. The Bata Museum shows the history and fashion of the shoe throughout the world and the centuries. It also shows the worn shoes of celebrities.... why..????

The Bata Shoe Museum is a museum that collects, researches, preserves, and exhibits footwear from around the world. It offers four exhibitions, three of which are time-limited, as well as lectures, performances and family events.
The collection which became the Bata Shoe Museum originated with Sonja Bata in the 1940s.As she travelled the world on business with her husband, of the Bata Shoe Company, she gradually built up a collection of traditional footwear from the areas she was visiting. In 1979 the Bata family established the Bata Shoe Museum Foundation to operate an international centre for footwear research and house the collection.

All About Shoes: Footwear Through the Ages
The Museum's flagship exhibition, All About Shoes, is a voyage through 4500 years of footwear: its evolution, uses over time, methods and materials of manufacture, and its place in our lives and imaginations. Admire ancient funerary sandals, Chinese silk shoes, haute couture pumps and much more...

Chestnut crushing clog, France, 1800-1900.

Chinese shoes for women with bound feet - the ideal size was 7.6cm....it is horrific and fascinating....

Beauty, Identity, Pride: Native North American Footwear

Created by Indigenous peoples from diverse regions of North America, ninety pairs of shoes, boots and moccasins will showcase exquisite craftsmanship, regional patterns, and beautiful decoration.

The beading on these moccasins is incredible artwork.... so intricat - lots of work. And Sarah through the question out there: where did they get the beads from????

Art in Shoes ~ Shoes in Art

For centuries shoes and shoemakers have inspired artists. From devotional depictions of the shoemaking saints to evocative interpretations of the elegant high heel, artists have explored footwear's rich symbolism and striking shapes in myriad artworks. This exhibition highlights the Bata Shoe Museum's own collection of shoe-related artworks from rare 15th century woodblock prints to whimsical 20th century sculpture.

The Roaring Twenties: Heels, Hemlines and High Spirits
Born in the age of post-war exuberance, nurtured by the dynamism of the machine and seduced by the lure of the exotic, the Roaring 20s infused modern society and fashion with an energetic modernity. As hemlines rose, shoes became increasingly important for stylish women and many of the decade's exceptional shoes illustrate the electrifying synergy between fashion and design.

Flappers

JUNO Sole: Celebrating 40 Years of the JUNO Awards
Representing the past four incredible decades of Canadian music, the exhibit features over 40 pairs of memorable shoes worn by past and present JUNO Award nominees, winners and Canadian musical icons.