I make shoes by hand and this is the *IT* establishment for souters & shoe fetishists alike. Traveled to Toronto specifically for the Bata Shoe Museum. The permanent collection, the history of the shoe, "All About Shoes: Footwear Through the Ages" and my favorite, "Beauty, Identity, Pride: Native North American Footwear" are verifiable homages to the craft and its crafters. While this is not a look at every shoe that ever existed, it is a glimpse into which shoes changed history or took fashion by storm. It is well worth the visit. A few years back I was fortunate enough to see, "Roger Vivier: Process to Perfection" and it was a superb show that displayed the design and illustration process alongside the actual formation of the shoe on the last itself coupled with various heel components. Lasting techniques have not changed much in the cobbling world and it was tremendously validating to see incredible craftsmanship on view and honored. If you make shoes or design them, everyone will agree that this is a MUST. read more

Very interesting! I'd definitely recommend this place, shoe-lovers or not, it is fun to see and explore. If you are looking for a fun, long-ish experience (4 floors) then come!! read more

The Bata Shoe Museum - Gilded Age shoe on floor 3 - Museums Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I got the sense from the name of this place that finally culture and I could meet. But when I got to the museum I realized that once you paid your entry fee, there were no shoes to try on, purchase and take home, they were just there to look at. UM...I'm sorry...What? If I want to just leer at a pair of shoes I'm never going to own, I can just go to Holt's and finger a pair of Manolos for free. But seriously, the museum is semi-interesting offering up footwear from ancient civilization to today. My favorite part of the tour was seeing the shoes of old Hollywood stars - you'll be surprised how tiny those feet are. Let's put it this way, Humphrey Bogart would not appreciate the old saying, you know what they say the size of the feet equals the size of the... read more

Three stars is actually quite the win for Bata considering the low expectations that i went in with, and speaks highly to Bata's credibility as a museum, even when the customer doesn't much of an interest in the subject matter (in my case, my significant other was very much looking forward to it, and probably would give it a 4-5 star review if she was authoring this review). The most interesting segment for me was the history of the shoe, although i would have appreciated a bit more of a linear narrative - i struggled to tie some of the areas into the greater history. The exhibit on the dangers of shoes and fashion throughout the years (arsenic dyes, anyone) was also fairly engaging. Wish we could have seen it during the 'pay what you choose' night, as i did think the price was a bit on the high side given the size of the museum. I believe there is a deal where you can also gain admission to the textile and a third museum for a small amount more, but neither of the other two interested us. read more

3.5 stars if I could give it. $14 adult admission, x2... This better be good! It's not a big museum. My husband tried to get me to go with someone else, but we had no takers so I dragged him along. He actually admitted that he liked it and wished there was more to the first part of the exhibit. Now, does that mean, he wasn't satisfied? or he liked it that much? The 1st part of the exhibit is quite interesting, and looking back, I'd wished I'd gone through it again. They showcase the development of the shoe through history, and around the world. I look at some of the exhibits and think "We haven't come that far from foot torturing devices" and "OMG, how did they walk in those things". Did you know that fashion wise- heels were originally worn by men? And before that, heels and elevated shoes were for practical reasons-- Hint: In Medieval times the roads were full of $hit. 2nd and 3rd part art exhibits on North American First People's shoes through history, by region. Beaded soles on moccasins! and Modern Day (this century) creation of traditional footwear around the globe. The 4th part is an exhibit on the role of athletic shoes in pop culture - not so interesting to me. I don't know if this is a changing exhibit or not. But either way, I don't really care about Justin Beiber's stinky shoes. read more

I am in the Museum business. I've worked at Museums some the 1990s, and the Bata is one of the best museums I've been to in years. It's well laid-out, has a great collection, the labeling is exceptionally good, better than any museum I've ever been to. They don't dumb down the labels at all, and there's a lot of text, which is a great thing. The lighting in a couple of galleries is very dark. I loved the first exhibit, the Shoes Around the World exhibit, and the shoes were great, and the way they put it together was so smart. The best part might be that it doesn't feel like it was made for students. Too many museums are dumbed down, with everything feeling like it was put together for the field trip crowd, but not The Bata! That was great! read more

The permanent collection is more interesting than the themed exhibits, but it is quite interesting. Well worth the ~$10 student price. The guides are personable and well informed, and you'll be sure to learn something. Don't forget to see the 7000 year old wool sock knotted from human hair! read more

I am woman hear me roar. But not really. I love shoes, and have several pair, but I simply did not have the same attachment with this museum that I have, say, with my stilettos. I read about it on the Internet and it seemed worthwhile. I've been twice and while it is indeed interesting, especially the Victorian and celebrity shoes, there is only so much one can possibly even pretend to want to know about shoes. read more

For those who masochistically visit Holt Renfrew's impossibly beautiful and expensive shoe collection, this might be torturous but I somehow found it freeing to be stripped of the choice to purchase. The programming here is interesting, with a permanent exhibit that is ever-evolving and changing. The semi-permanent collection details and chronicles the evolution of footwear through different ages and places. From snow-appropriate wears to traditional Chinese silk shoes used to bind feet, this exhibition is fairly comprehensive. Educational material is provided to elucidate the methods and material employed at various times. One of the current travelling exhibitions is dedicated to the pointe. Title "On Pointe: The Rise of the Ballet shoe", this exhibition explains how the pointe facilitates such beauty in movement and its important role within dance. read more

Cute little museum. I liked reading about the history of shoes in different parts of the world and how it relates to the society, climate, and socio-economic status one had - this exhibit is in the basement. The Roaring 20s exhibit was definitely a must-see for any woman who loves shoes. I was fascinated by the skills that the shoe designers of that era. There were some darn cute shoes that I would wear in that exhibit! I didn't go to see the shoe exhibit with the First Nations b/c it was very dark in there and there was NO ONE in there! I also had a creepy feeling of spirits in there so I didn't even set foot in that room. Overall, I'm glad I stopped in this little museum. read more

I never got a chance to go to the Bata Shoe Museum in the 8+ years I have been in Toronto. My family was visiting from out of the country and my sister-in-law read about the museum in a guide. I got a 2 for 1 ticket and the child admission is 5 dollars so 3 people went in for 14 dollars total. We started at the bottom exhibit where the history of shoes and some examples of ancient times shoes and some cool shoes through history all the way up to modern times. The higher floors had various specialty exhibits including Canadian stars from the Junos, the Native shoes, the shoes from the 20s and shoes in Art. From what I understand, the exhibits change periodically except the basement permanent exhibit. Every single exhibit was awesome. I loved all the moccasins because I was intrigued by how detailed and varied they were. I love the fact that you can tell which tribe the shoe came from based on the bead patterns. The 20s shoe display was great because I learned something about those times in terms of women coming into their own. Both of these exhibits also had videos to show you more information. The Shoes in Art were also cool and I would love a shoe sculpture of my own. The Juno display was one of the weakest because most people wore sneakers to the Junos but it was interesting to see the sizes of people's feet, some I was surprised by. Upstairs they also had the offices of the workers and you can see right in as they were working on some exhibit pieces possibly for new showings. The gift shop was one of the best things in the place. The greeting card section alone will make me return to this Museum very soon. I would definitely recommend going to this museum and actually taking the time to read something and learn something. It's not expensive and it's a fun time if you are at all curious about the world around you. read more

Always a joy to visit here. The special exhibition at the Bala these days is really amazing and is honestly arranged in nearly boutique style so it feels like you would be shoe shopping in the highest end department store. The exhibits of shoe history are truly one of a kind gems in the world, and is something that everyone who visits Toronto should see. Probably the third time we have visited and always something to see, and discover that you didn't see last time! read more

Shoes aren't the first thing I'd build a museum for. But if I could handle the world's biggest chamber pot collection in Munich, I told myself, I could handle the Bata Shoe Museum. They have a surprisingly interesting, if selective, collection on display (there's more online, actually). I have to admit, though, that they started losing me when the displays went on and on, nitpicking about what qualified as a moccasin under the BSM taxonomy. The curators must be a real hoot at parties. My favourite item on display was not a shoe, ironically enough. It was a letter written by the Duke of Wellington about how his boots still didn't fit right, and giving instructions on how to fix them--in other words, the commission for the first pair of Wellingtons. But the pair of Dr. Evil Hush Puppies loafers came in a close second (way cooler than Napoleon's socks). read more

The Bata Shoe Museum - Museums Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I'm not really a big shoe person, so I never thought I'd walk into a museum for shoes. I thought to myself 'really? Do people have nothing else to do?' Then one day I had a job that took me into the Bata Shoe Museum. Man oh man was I ever wrong. You don't need to be into shoes to enjoy this place. From the "shoes" that are thousands of years old, to one of Shakil O'Neil's custom made (meaning HUGE) shoes, this place has 3 floors of wacky fun. I was supposed to be working, but I kept trying to wander off to look at the shoes, and really couldn't wait for the chance to actually look around and enjoy what the museum had to offer. There's lots of fascinating information and facts about shoes. Stuff like heels improves your posture (not that relevant for guys, but still interesting). The Bata Shoe Museum is one of those 'more fun that you realize' kind of experiences. read more

Toronto seems to be lacking for museums given its size, age, and economic power and I am sad to report that this one's more for die-hards than a general audience. This museum has nice enough architecture and the exhibits are professionally done but it falls short relative to expectations. There's a section on Native American shoes and a section on really high platform shoes from the 16th-17th C Europe but the relevance of shoes on culture is not explored enough given what I would imagine its core audience of women in their 30s and 40s would want. The potential of the subject makes for what could be a much larger museum or a laser focus on one part of the shoe world. I hope in the future they could go more into the cultural relevance of shoes in modern times, e.g. * the killing of young people in America for Air Jordans in the late 80s or the mid-90s resurgence of platform shoes in Japan or * the economics of shoes: why can some shoes at Payless cost $30 while one of similar design but (perhaps) better quality or more human involvement cost $300 elsewhere? read more

Shoes Shoes I must have those Shoes! From the historic boots and shoes natives and European explorers and hunters wore to Elton John, Princess Diana and more contemporary styles one gets a good overview of how footwear has progressed over thousands of years. The Chinese foot binding exhibit was informative if not disturbing. It was my first time seeing the effects up close and personal. I loved the modern and airy design of this museum. The book and gift store was great also. read more

Somehow the idea of a collection of nothing but shoes has potential, but doesn't get off the ground here. Is there meaning in shoes? If so, I didn't see it. Transcendence -- give me transcendence! (And don't show me anything about bound feet, they're disgusting and beyond cruel. This is an example of the lack of a big picture associated with shoes.) read more

Visited this museum this summer when I was in Toronto. I went on the free evening night, since it fit into my schedule. It's 3 floors of the history of shoes and footware, with exhibitions on the 3rd floor. They had an exhibition on men who wears heels and how it has progressed over history. It's an interesting and unique museum, and very hands on, especially on the lower floor. You can try on shoes! You also have some shoes worn by celebrities, such as Justin Bieber and Marilyn Monroe. The museum is very clean, has clean bathrooms and water fountains, and there's free high speed wifi throughout the museum. A definite for anyone visiting Toronto! read more

On our trip to through Toronto, we stopped at the Bata Shoe Museum. It was already after 4pm and they close within 1/2 hour. We were undeterred and paid the $12CAD each. We got the brochures and directions to see what would be their current display. We opted to just see everything in that short time. It was a historical journey through ancient times when foot protection first appeared to the boots worn on the moon and everything in between. We enjoyed seeing the varying designs as well as the necessity for protection against cold, heat, water, snow, and of course you have to have style. Each room we visited had a great display of novel footwear and the history behind it. The only thing I did not see is a pair of klompjes, the Dutch wooden shoes. We hurried and at the third announcement made our way out the building. It was certainly interesting and we would come back to Bata Shoe Museum and spend more time. read more

A museum about shoes. Well, if I'm completely honest, the word 'shoe' next to the word 'museum' doesn't fill with great expectations. That said, I went along with an open mind, hoping to be proven wrong. You never know, this could awaken a passion for shoes akin to Imelda Marcos. Alas, my worst fears were realized. It was boring. A wooden shoe, a leather shoe, a metal shoe, a stinky shoe, a tatty shoe, an old shoe, an older shoe, an even older shoe, an 18th century shoe, a 15th century shoe. Yes, I hear you cry, 'what did you expect from a shoe museum?' Well, good point. But I had hoped that they might have least shown a few more designer shoes of the 50s to present day, history of trainers, celebrity shoes etc. Best stick to visiting the shoe shops on Queen Street, me thinks. read more

Horrible, horrible, horrible experience for anybody for anybody with any standards. Starting with the entry, the old 'molding' duet of women in the front had put up a fight to deny my student card since it happened to be summer time. After they "graciously" complied, with the breath of cigarettes one of the women handed me a dinky leaflet of the museums layout that segwayed to an afternoon of complete boredom. I must say, the museum started off quite well! With the bathroom. I was so worked up that I painted that toilet three different colors. After entering the first floor I had learnt a lot about the history of shoes, yet after three dinky tables the whole museum turned into a tribute to the aboriginals. Two out of the four floors just contained moccasins, and at this point I just turned around and left. I was extremely disappointed with the lack of modern, contemporary shoes that are displayed. In this day and age, the museum could invest in producing a modern exhibit that showed off expensive louboutins, or Jordan's.. I don't know!! Just something relatively interesting!!! Please, PLEASE WALK THE EXTRA 5 MINUTES AND GO TO THE ROM!! Somebody has to get this place out of the heart of downtown, and let it be squashed to the ground like it truly deserves! read more

Loved this experience! The shoes were beautiful - and interesting in their own right. But in addition, the museum' exhibits illustrate the evolution of cultures around the world and is a walk through history. I would go back - the next time I will bring a friend. read more

Overall, very nice, very informative, fun and for the price, cannot go wrong. Really enjoyed the main floor where shoes through history are on display. Quite amazing and interesting. Also enjoyed the shoes of the 1920s. I wished they had a few more 'modern' shoes... obviously, it would take time but I think it would be interesting to see innovative shoes such as gorilla runners, shoes without heels. And more shoes from the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s would be great too. read more

Pretty cool museum. It hits equal points of fashion, trends, and history. The building is interesting in how it is used to display the items (it was made for this museum). read more

I love shoes and I really enjoyed this little museum. It is a little pricey as far as admission goes but I figure most people would spend $14 on a martini why not a museum? It gives a nice overview on the history of shoes and is fun to visit to see something a little offbeat. read more

To be fair, there is a lot of content, including some stuff on the "how shoes came to be", "all kinds of foreign shoes", and an interactive screen that let you design and print your own shoes. However, I feel like there were only two main focuses: Native North American shoes and the then-current Roger Vivier collection when I visited. Lacklustre displays elsewhere. read more

Just spent several hours at the Bata Shoe Museum with my 5 yo daughter. We both enjoyed it, but I have several observations and thoughts on our visit. First off, it's a fun place. They're gonna love it, if only because there are so many wacky items in juxtaposition in one place...a shoe for a cow? Yes!...Barbie doll high heels? Yes!...glass slippers and multiple different Cinderella stories (versions from China, Korea, and others) to read? Yes!...film clips of Madonna and Justin Beiber? Yes! It was fun to try to follow her lead--and I'm glad we went at a less busy time. It's not a very big place. My dau loved certain display cases and wanted to hang over them for long periods, chatting about them--would not have been possible if busy! There were all kinds of wacky shoes to try on....this was fun, but I think they could really take it to another level. It really could be wackier (why no really outrageous clown shoes or bedroom slippers?) There's space for arts and crafts, but on the day we were there (a Tuesday), there were virtually no supplies (we were given a small baggies with several foam cut out shapes in it when we entered)--and why no Shoe-related crafts project? How about making cool shoe laces or punching holes and making designs with laces and paper? We really enjoyed the museum, don't get me wrong, but it seems there are fabulous possibilities yet to be explored! We loved all the shoe-related books and spent a good bit of time reading...that was lovely...a little hard to read in the darkness tho (I totally understand and accept why the exhibit areas need to be darker)--perhaps there could be a better lit area for reading and for the arts and crafts tho? We had a SUPER time! My biggest complaints: the doors are very heavy and most of the gallery space was really dark--harder to maneuver kids and stroller--but still super fun, and I really had a good time too! read more

I went because I was offered a free ticket. This is a poorly curated and overpriced museum. I think charging people to see the horrible shoes of Nickleback and the Barenaked Ladies is despicable. The galleries were so dimly lit that it was difficult to see the items on display, and there were so many typos in the explanatory blurbs accompanying the exhibits that i nearly had an aneurysm. Quite a disappointment, all told. read more

No - really - it is a shoe museum. You're probably thinking - how much information is there about shoes that require a museum? Well, then go to Bata and you are going to learn more information about shoes, their making, their wearing, their problems, their silliness, and their history. It is really quite fascinating and the museum staff does a great job in presenting the story of shoes from the very beginning of time, and around the world, and I guarantee you will be surprised at much of what you will learn. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but arsenic is involved, as are sexual arousal, rock stars, divas and diamonds. That got your attention and so too will this gem of a museum - pay as you wish on Thursday 5 - 8 p.m. read more

Not too big but full of cool shoes, especially the first high heeled shoes are awesome! :)

I wasn't impressed with the Bata Shoe Museum. Two of the floors' exhibits were closed, and there were a ton of children running around screaming. The parents didn't do anything about it. You might say that this isn't the museum's fault, but I didn't see a single staff member or docent anywhere beyond the admission desk. Had they been stationed throughout, perhaps this would have encouraged the parents to control their children. With the exception of the "try on these shoes" section, I didn't see how this museum is suitable for children in the first place. read more

I came here on a free pass with my friend Jimmy now living in KL. What I thought was going to be the most boring hour of my life turned out to be very interesting. Quite interesting and I highly recommended. You would be surprised how interesting shoes can be. We all own at least 10 pair, yet we don't know the history or what goes into making a pair. read more

It's very interesting. I liked it because it was different from other museums and it's about shoes. All girls love shoes. They had info on the history of it also. read more

I was excited to find out Toronto had a SHOE MUSEUM (as I am definitely a shoe whore) but it was not what I expected. The museum show cases the history of shoes from the beginning the first shoes were ever made to modern times. I really enjoyed learning the interesting facts of the reason why shoes were designed the say they were. I was hoping for more exhibits about modern shoes but they didn't go too far into modern. This is a good place for someone that likes to learn random facts but specifically about shoes. read more

What a good place to go and see the weird and different. We usually go to museums when we travel but they are mostly historical or art. What a nice change. Two hours does it and you can see it all. I was sad not to see the Ruby Slippers, as I would think they should be in there as well! I enjoyed many of the displays that showed historical footwear. read more

I have to admit, I haven't been here in a while (ok, a really long while) but I would totally recommend it! I'm both an historian and a shoe buff, and found this quirky combination delightful! Definitely a go for someone looking for a different take on the typical museum! read more

$14 admission, 4 floors of shoes. It's definitely a place to Visit while in Toronto. Who knew the history of shoes could be so interesting. The volunteer in the beginning taught us so much. We really enjoyed the History of the Sneaker exhibit. Downfall is the cost. read more

I went there only because I needed to be around later in the day but I was astonished! I really was not expecting a museum of that quality! The staff are polite and nice and you learn so many things about the history of one of the most used clothes ever : shoes! It's great! It's a small museum but the exhibitions are well put! Great architecture. Very informatives descriptions! read more

pretty dope, lots of fascinating shoes to stare at and learn about. went on a day/time where it wasn't busy so that was good.

A nice outing. Beautiful building.. luminous! Learned a lot about diff types of shoes. Beautiful displays. Wish they had more selection of famous people's footwear. read more