Bata Shoe Museum
Check out the only museum in North America solely dedicated to shoes
The Bata Shoe Museum is a five storey building that was built to house Sonja Bata's shoe collection. It uses four of those storeys to publicly display over 1000 shoes in four fascinating galleries starting from an era that goes back about 4500 years in the flagship exhibition.
These informative galleries will educate you about the materials and techniques that were used through-out the ages to make footwear both fashionable and practicable.
In the BSM you will find a collection of over 13,000 artifacts and shoes that represent the era, region and history of the world in which the specimen shoes came from. This wide variety of footwear ranges from bound foot shoes worn by some of the Chinese females, Ancient Egyptian sandals, practical clogs used to crush chestnuts, cowboy and riding boots, dazzling high heels, platforms, sports shoes including specialized shoes worn for dance plus many others.
Shoes worn by celebrates are a popular favourite for most guests. A few examples include Queen Victoria's ballroom slippers, Elton John's silver platform boots, Elvis Presley's blue patent loafers and a running shoe that belonged to Terry Fox. There are many more on display for visitors to view.
Since 1940 Sonja Bata has searched the world for shoes to add to her collection. However, it wasn't until May 6th 1995 that the museum was built in its present location in downtown Toronto. Here, they constructed this fascinating building which is designed in the shape of an open shoe box.
2015 is the 20th anniversary of the opening of the museum, which has become one of Toronto's cultural landmarks and famous establishments.
The BSM Museum continues to collect shoes from around the world, research information about the shape, material, how they were made and for what purpose. It also preserves and displays them in creative and informative ways that keep you interested while educating you about a bit of history and fashion throughout time. Most exhibits are on display for one or two years and feature shoes focused on a specific time period. All about shoes: is a long term exhibit, that takes you back in time on a journey through the years of footwear.
When visiting the museum be sure to check out the gift shop. This fun little shop is well supplied with lots of souvenirs, books and other items related to shoes.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: YesBata Shoe Museum Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
Address: 327 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S 1W7, Canada
Phone: (416) 979-7799
Official Website: Bata Shoe Museum
Bata Shoe Museum Reviews
Rated out of 5
Insane history through shoes and boots!!Highly recommend not only if you are into fashion (needless to say 😉🤓), but also if you are into history and different cultures.
So far, I was mesmerized by all the richness of this museum collection, everything from the first footwear our ancestors created for protecting their feet, to the most modern, eclectic, high-end designer shoes!
I could not finish the tour, as I attended on a Sunday and they close at 5pm. FYI, the admission is free on Sundays!! So it’s absolutely worth it if you wanna do something different 😊 The staff was very nice too, I will sure be coming back to finish my 4-story-shoe-museum tour!!
Beri Hurtado - 2 months ago
A small but very worthwhile museum. If you have a library card, you can get a free pass sometimes.
I've been many times over the years, it's never crowded and staff are friendly. Free coat rack area in the basement. Very kid friendly with some interactive areas.
The museum shows how you can tell a lot of history through shoes. It highlights different social norms, cultures, religions etc are expressed through footwear.
The temporary exhibits on right now are about Perugia and his influence on high fashion, and there's another exhibit about cowboy boots. Both very well done with clear explanations to help provide context.
If you have any interest in fashion, you will love this museum!
Denise S - 3 months ago
On Sunday, it has free entry. Opening hours are 12 to 5pm. on weekdays, you need to pay entre fee.
There are simple ganes at Basement 1. If you win, you get some souvenir prizes. There is a lift for disabled visitors. At Basement, there is a water dispenser and clean washrooms.
We enjoyed our visit here. Thank you to the friendly staff.
Nita Hindocha - 2 weeks ago
A fun adventure. A unique museum that takes you through the history of footwear with with various styles of shoes. I enjoyed the size of the museum, takes about 1-2h to get through. A cool stop if you want to explore something different
Avi - 3 months ago
Very interesting. From the very first footprint discovered millions of years ago to today, the shoe museum gives very interesting account of different shoes. It's worth the visit.
Maria Bermudez - 2 weeks ago
Directions
| TTC Subway Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bloor-Danforth | St. George Station | 1 Minute |
| Yonge-University-Spadina | St. George Station | 1 Minute |
How to get to Bata Shoe Museum by TTC Subway
From St. George Station on either the Bloor Danforth or University-Spadina Line: exit onto St. George Street and go left (south) to Bloor Street West. Cross the road both ways to the museum.
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Photo Gallery
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Colourful shoes on display at the Bata Shoe Museum cc licensed photo by Charles Hoffman -
Photo Credit: Bata Shoe Museum -
Photo Credit: J Dc -
Photo Credit: Jemy Joseph -
Photo Credit: Miroslav L. -
Photo Credit: Lic. Horus Ruiseco Jacobo
