Bata Shoe Museum

I got the MAP pass from the Toronto Public Library (the passes are available online so you can check out the library website to learn more). My mom loves flowers so the idea was to bring her there to see the newest exhibition. There are 4 floors, they recommend us start from the basement, where kids and adults can enjoy trying on and playing with some humongous shoes 👞 👟 👠 The Bloom exhibition was on the 3/F. Upon arrival we borrow their wheelchair (their website mentioned there is 1 wheelchair available, first come first serve). The whole museum was very accessible despite there were different floors. It was nice to see the history, culture and evolution of shoes. The Bloom exhibition did not disappoint, we loved the flower installation in the middle of the space. It’s a small museum and quite delightful. The staffs were friendly. In terms of parking, there are some parking spaces on Huron road, north of Bloor.
Marz K. - 4 months ago

When you hear 'shoe museum', the first thing that comes to mind is "how can that be entertaining?" The Bata Shoe Museum proved us so wrong. We entered in the afternoon of a Saturday, where we were able to quickly purchase tickets for only $38(there were four of us). The elevator happened to be out of service at the time, but the employees assured us that it was running just fine in the winter. Each exhibit added more to my knowledge of shoes. And let me tell you, I've never wanted a pair of shoes so bad. Would definitely come again!
zoe!! - 3 months ago

The whole museum requires 1-2 hrs to cover 3 floors. It’s quite interesting you will see the evolution of foot wear right from back 16th century to current. By the end, you may observe how humans perception keep changing from need to want by simplification and modernization. Definitely one time watchable. Another observation you may see that LV was into shoe rack business.
prab Cad - 2 months ago

This is one of the smaller museums in the city (something to keep in mind) but is definitely worth checking out if you love shoes, or interested in how footwear differs through time and different countries. The museum is good for all ages, and is easily accessible by transit, located right outside the west exit of St. George subway station. Depending on how often you visit this place, and how much time you take to read the exhibit descriptions, you can expect to spend one to three hours here. Self guided tours and free WiFi are available, and the museum is very easy to navigate. Their permanent collection on the lower level explores 4,500 years of footwear history, from ancient Egyptian sandals to contemporary worn by celebrities to shoes made for modern days dolls like Barbie and Polly Pocket. They also change the exhibits on their other floors regularly. Some of the featured exhibits I've checked out over the years included Manolo Blahnik, All Dolled Up, and most recently In Bloom all of which I found interesting.
Sarah Phu - 2 months ago

Entry is free on Sunday, and worth a visit to enjoy a history of Bata shoes. There's plenty of seating on the floors, allowing you to sit for awhile and enjoy the exhibits. Plenty of photo opportunities of the shoes through the ages, some of which are quite amusing. Gift shop was quite small and a bit disappointing. Wanted to get a postcard of the outside as the building is shaped like a Bata shoebox, but was only available as a fold out note card. Some of the bizarre shoes would have made excellent postcards. Marketing opportunities right there 😄.
Metal Mama - 17 days ago

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