Bata Shoe Museum

Photo Credit: Franci Strümpfer

Hundreds of shoes (from a collection numbering over 10,000) are on exhibit in architect Raymond Moriyama's award-winning four-storey structure. The Museum celebrates the style and function of footwear in four impressive galleries. Footwear on display ranges from Chinese bound foot shoes and ancient Egyptian sandals to chestnut-crushing clogs and glamourous platforms. Over 4,500 years of history and a collection of 20th-century celebrity shoes are reflected in the semi-permanent exhibition,  All About Shoes. Three other galleries feature changing exhibitions, so there's always something new to see.

It took more than 15 years to find the right site for the Bata shoe collection's permanent home. But in the end, the ideal location was acquired: the busy corner of Bloor and St. George Streets in downtown Toronto. The Museum is within easy walking distance of the St. George subway station, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Gardiner Museum and the University of Toronto - an important consideration as the museum is intended to serve serious researchers as well as the general public.

The Bata shoe museum is both a delight to visit for the shoe lover in all as well as for those who can appriciate architecture.

Day Trips Tip: Every Thursday evening between 5 and 8 pm, admission is Pay-what-you-can, with a suggested donation of $5.