The collection of the museum was collected by the founder of the shoe company "Bata" and his wife. It all started with a few samples of shoes that Sonya Bata brought from various trips. At the moment, the exposition occupies three floors of a separate building. Here are collected more than 12 thousand samples from all over the world. There are even quite “fossil” couples from Ancient Egypt, antique sandals and medieval boots.
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03.08.23
Sara
There is something so uniquely special and cool about a museum of shoes. Learning the history from the fabrics to the dyes, the different stitching and techniques to the innovations that has brought about our mass shoe collections. The different ways.. Read more » that shoes have become symbols in society from function, to story telling to your status in society. How our obsession with shoes has been exacerbated by the media.
The Bata shoe Museum has several exhibits across the five floors and every time they have a special exhibit i find myself entranced learning something new that brings a new perspective.
If you find yourself in the area looking for something unique to do for a few hours, stop in, you'll be glad you did!
25.06.23
Marz
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, t.. Read more »hey 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.
23.06.23
Noura
Nothing interesting that much, I went to Toronto to see how they arranged the flowers between shoes boxes but I found the place empty inside, its seem that the lovely decor was in the first days of the exhibition but they still advertise the flower t.. Read more »heme and no flowers only the artificial one on the window outside.
For the shoes collection it was diverse but not worth the trip. ( I think the photo is enough for the people who are interested )
03.06.23
Jessica
Loved the new exhibit In Bloom, including the main floor window display. I went as part of Doors Open Toronto but there is free admission on Sunday’s. Easily accessible via TTC, parking in that area can be a challenge.
19.05.23
Jemy
A fascinating museum! Really learned a lot about the niche topic of shoes. It gave a very good overview of shoes from ancient history to modern times. Lots of interesting and beautiful collection as well! Highly recommend visiting it and give yoursel.. Read more »f at least 2 to 3 hours.
18.05.23
A
Pleasantly surprised by this museum. Visited as part of Doors Open Toronto. There are 4 floors with different exhibits. If is recommended to start from the basement and then make your way up. Very interesting history of shoes, starting with the first.. Read more » ever pair of shoes ever recorded in history and it's evolution in many parts of the globe. The exhibits in the basement, the shoes of the future, and botanical shoes were our favorite.
14.04.23
Mohamed
It is a nice museum. Me and my kids enjoyed it so much. It was interesting to see shoes from different eras and cultures. It was a fun one.
Also my kids enjoyed the drawing area. They had a nice time trying different shoes and taking a lot of photos.. Read more » with them.. The musem has a cloak room free of charge.
03.10.22
Almog
One of my favourite museums in all of Toronto. Their exhibits are apparently always changing so I’ll have to come back but just really cool learning about the history of footwear and all the evolutions of it in different cultures. Also it&rsquo.. Read more »;s free on Sundays right now so don’t miss out.
03.08.22
S
A hidden gem a block over from the Royal Ontario Museum. Learn history and the history of shoes. Designer shoes-check, shoes for dolls-check, shoes for celebrities and royals-check. Some amazing historical facts are also presented in great detail and.. Read more » keeping in mind the sensitive nature of some of the topics. Kids can have fun trying to find the different images in a scavenger hunt, paint a shoe and even try out different styles of shoes. Overall a unique experience that will surprise you.
01.08.22
Arif
It's an OK museum. It won't take too long to finish unless you are checking the design of each shoe. It kind of gives an idea of how shoes evolved and also what's the future design may look like. We definitely found some interesting sh.. Read more »oes that showed creativity. Don't forget to take the Match it game cards to make your walk through interesting. Honestly, it felt like the cost is a bit high for the size and shows of the museum.
14.07.22
Sukhdeep
I took my young kids recently and it was a great short outing. There are 3 floors to explore and there are kid-friendly activities like I-Spy, crafts and an area to try on fun shoes on the lower level - start there! Food and drink are not sold insid.. Read more »e but there are lots of food options in the area and/or nearby benches to eat a packed lunch.
13.07.22
himani
I really like ?? this museum. Worth visiting. They have 4 floors dividing all the areas in different categories. I really like the concept as well that gives you royal ? vibes. One can try there shoes as well.
08.06.22
Minna
The museum was great. You learn about the history of shoes and where the future of shoes is headed. The museum has an audio tour, if you're interested bring headphones/earbuds and have your phone charged. I wouldn't recommend this museum fo.. Read more »r younger children, there's not much for them to do. Older elementary and up may enjoy the museum. Also, Sundays is free, which is awesome.
03.06.22
Anuj
Superbly laid out museum. Very structured and shows the entire history of shoes intertwined with world history, which makes for great reading, not boring at all. 5 floors of exhibits. Start from the basement which is fascinating. Can easily spend two.. Read more » hours here going through the loads of displays and attached descriptions.
20.05.22
Eric
Visited during the Door Open Toronto event.
Most I can say is the space inside is very pleasing. The displays feature footwear from past to future. Contemporary exhibits are well focused and refreshing, putting shoe fashion and design into cultural .. Read more »perspectives and context.
Can't say much about staff since it was a special event. However the interior space is well design. Reminiscent to the small museum I visited in Niagara Falls years ago, definitely needs more space for program.
12.05.22
Alan
The Bata Shoe Museum was ok, but a bit underwhelming. It’s $14/adult to enter. You enter on the 1st floor but have to go to the ground floor to get started. Then climb each floor to see the rest of the museum. I wish it was the other way around.. Read more » so you can take the elevator up and then walk downstairs.
The ground floor exhibit was interesting. It talks about the history of shoes throughout generations and by cultures. Each example had 1-3 shoes.
There was a small exhibit about dolls and breaking barriers which was neat, not not really about shoes.
The top floor exhibit was beautiful, but didn’t make sense and didn’t offer a lot. One part of the museum was closed.
What I wanted to see was more modern examples of shoes throughout generations. I wanted to see more “famous shoes” from celebrities or significant moments in time. Apparently the museum has a huge collection of shoes. I wish the ground floor exhibit was more robust.
23.03.22
April
I'll preface this by saying that my rating is mainly reflective of personal preference. For someone who is interested in and appreciates shoes and footwear, this museum might be really awesome; however, the average visitor (especially many young.. Read more »er kids) may not find it so fascinating. The museum is also fairly small, so I don't think it would be a full-day activity. That said, the focus on shoes is really unique, the museum is clean and spacious, and the staff were very helpful.
22.03.22
Alex
I didn't think a shoe museum would be very cool before going but I was quite impressed. There is a lot of really great things to look at with and history to go along with it. It is fairly small so you can see everything relatively quickly but it.. Read more » was definitely worth going to and I am glad that I went.
08.03.22
Dave
This is a diamond in the rough....super interesting exhibits that tell stories through footwear. We visited during March break where there were a lot of great activities for the kids too.
Well worth visiting
05.03.22
L
This was our first visit and we had a great time. Lots of very helpful volunteers throughout the museum! Thank you! And so many cool activities for smaller kids. The museum itself has a lot of interesting historical information. Who knew we could lea.. Read more »rn so much about shoes in just one afternoon!?
03.03.22
Hyelni
It had many interesting and informative exhibits.
The museum showcased shoes from throughout history from different continents and cultures. Most importantly, it contained a lot of relevant and little known facts between shoes and race relations.
I w.. Read more »ould recommend it to anyone visiting Toronto.
19.02.22
Paco
If you like shoes, the history of shoes, all the crazy shoes , or shoes fetish it’s the place to go.
It’s museum dedicated to shoes only nothing but shoes .. from all different cultures and their history. And also their evolution through.. Read more » the centuries. The exposition is layered on 3 floors. It’s a not a big museum. A couple of hours is more than enough to do the complete tour and that if you you stop at every piece. Def I enjoyed it and I would recommend it
18.02.22
Su
An amazing museum that takes you on a journey of history through the shoes of the ages.
Well curated and documented museum.A must visit when in Toronto downtown/midtown. This is surely an Anthropology and history buff's delight.
11.12.21
Ula
Went on a Sunday, it was free. Lovely and well thought out exhibits that addressed more than fashion. It is on the smaller side, but I would recommend for history buffs as much as fashion fans.
04.12.21
Kevin
On the top floors there are two special exhibits which I enjoyed tremendously. One focused on gold but the final one focused on liberty and equality, which looks at how the challenges of women and minorities have been reflected in shoes and fashion. .. Read more »Loved exhibits, it’s intimate, it’s educational, it’s beautiful. The admission price is fair and it is the type of place you would come back to.
25.11.21
Helena
I personally like this place a lot. Granted, it's small - as in, a tenth of ROM?? So you'll be in and out in an hour, no matter how much you try to extend the visit. Regardless, the exibits are unique, both the regular ones - African king s.. Read more »lippers, tiny Chinese binding shoes, Indian, Buddhist, Medieval, etc etc footwear (reading the info is a must!) and their going through the decades (1930s, 1940s, etc), and any special exhibits that they have on. Have been there 5+ times, and it's always a great break from the daily routine.
23.11.21
Brady
Such a unique museum. Obviously great if you are interested in fashion or shoes, but there were great temporary shows while I was there that looked at doll fashion, and one about footwear in the Arctic. Really interesting to see the world through suc.. Read more »h a specific focus.
01.11.21
Azi
This museum is amazing, has three levels with lots of interesting shoes from around the world. It's worth spending some time there.
21.09.21
Vishwa
Cute little place with the history of shoes. Very well maintained clean and informational. Would definitely visit again. Also Sundays were free last time I visited :)
01.09.21
julian
Honestly a bit of a let down. I came in expecting more and some more focus on the modern day "hype" of popular shoes. Given the popularity of certain shoes and the impact socially I would've thought there are more modern comparisons. W.. Read more »hat I was met with was very historical forms of shoes which was fascinating but felt a lacking experience in general. That being said it was still an interesting
27.08.21
Samantha
A great museum. Excellent architecture and the museum is expertly designed. You get a good overview of how shoes have been used across the world. It took me about 1.5 hours.
15.08.21
Keegan
A really cool place to go! Was also really surprised at how cheap the admission was. There was someone doing work in a certain part of the building when I went, though. It was so loud that I had to cover my ears and I even decided to leave the area b.. Read more »efore I could look at everything.
12.08.21
Susana
Amazing seeing the historical evolution of shoes as well as how certain nations use animal skin and such to make footwear. We're watching now Marco Polo and it's cool to see that fiction has depicted history so accurately. However, it�.. Read more »39;s also neat to see how we evolved from then.
10.08.21
Ron
At first,I wasn't convinced I'd like this museum. Turns out, it was awesome. So many interesting things we didn't know. The staff are so pleasant and informed. You gotta go check it out.
05.08.21
Mai
Went to the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto Canada to see the Manolo exhibit for my 40th birthday and had a great time. The museum has a cute gift shop with cute shoe related gifts. There were exhibits on the history of shoes from all over the world. Ver.. Read more »y interesting.
05.08.21
DIY
Super unique! Everybody should visit this beautiful little shoe museum!
15.07.21
Trish
I am in Awww who new shoes could be so interesting. It is so amazing what shoes mean in countries and how they are made.
What a fascinating place.
Thank You Bata Museum
12.07.21
Josie
Better than I expected. Great source of information and nicely showcased.
17.03.21
dmcd
Well. I lived beside here. I liked too look at Shoes. It's an interesting Museum.
08.02.21
Matthew
A nice museum, especially for shoe lovers. Would recommend going on Thursday evenings when it is pay what you can (between 5-8 PM)
03.11.20
Harry
The Bata Shoe Museum is a small museum around the corner from the ROM. It provides an interesting perspective on history, through footwear. It is certainly unique and definitely worth a visit.
02.10.20
Fatima
This is a neat little museum about shoes. It's very cute.
20.09.20
Susana
Amazing Museum. It was a wonderful experience. Its a must see.
16.09.20
xiaomeng
Surprisingly educational! I went there just to look at some weird shoes to kill time. But end up learning a lot about footware related culture from different places around the world, and about how footware played a part in the supression of women, in.. Read more » slavery, and in race inequality.
Totally worth the visit!
11.09.20
Anthony
The Bata Shoe Museum has wonderful pieces of history and beautiful exhibits to browse. It is very nice to go with a family, including young children, and we would definitely go again!
11.09.20
nia
Literally the best date night/day. Highly recommend everyone go there! Extremely clean and spaced out, felt very safe.
25.08.20
Happy
The Bata Shoe Museum is beautiful. We had a lot of fun looking at the shoe collection, so many shoes that seem impossible to wear! My son wanted to see Elvis Presley's shoes but they were not on display, so that gives us an excuse to return. I m.. Read more »ust add that during these complex COVID19 times, the museum was incredibly clean, hand-sanitizer available everywhere, and we felt very safe walking through the halls. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Altogether a wonderful experience.
20.08.20
Camila
Super in depth and well organized content. Interesting overview of history through the lens of shoes
Would be nice if they included more recent shoe fashions and trends though, the story ends pretty much in the 1990s with only a few examples of 21st .. Read more »cen footwear.
19.08.20
Sandra
Beautiful museum and collection. This is a must see museum for anyone who love shoes. Cool concept for a museum. Definitely an interesting place to learn about the history of shoes. I really loved the ancients shoes part of different cultures. And I .. Read more »never thought how shoes have played such an important role in human history until now..
4.6 / 93
