Bata Shoe Museum

Discover the treasures of North America’s charming and surprising shoe museum in Toronto, Canada. A remarkable collection of footwear from around the globe with over 4,500 years of history. Explore four impressive exhibitions that will inspire and delight visitors of all ages in architect Raymond Moriyama’s iconic, award-winning building.

Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks

On view until October 2023

Exploring over fifty futuristic footwear designs from the auto-lacing Nike MAG to the virtual RTFKT x Staple Meta-Pigeon, this exhibition considers how cutting-edge technologies, unexpected materials, and new ideas are transforming footwear today. This provocative exhibition includes digitally designed and 3D printed shoes, sneakers made from mushroom leather and reclaimed ocean plastics, as well as footwear created for the metaverse. Featured designers and brands include: Salehe Bembury, Steven Smith, RTFKT, Mr. Bailey, Zaha Hadid, D’Wayne Edwards, Nike ISPA, Safa Åžahin, Tom Sachs, EKTO VR, Saysh, Benoit Méléard, SCRY, Yeezy, and many more.

All Dolled Up: Fashioning Cultural Expectations

On view until October 2022

Dolls have historically promoted complex cultural ideas about gender, body image and social status and fashion consumption. Today, doll manufacturers in the West are making efforts to be more inclusive, featuring dolls with disabilities, gender fluid dolls and dolls that promote equality. All Dolled Up is a fascinating look at how the world of dolls and their miniature shoes reflect the larger world.

The Great Divide: Footwear in the Age of Enlightenment

On view until February 2023

This exhibition explores several timely issues from gender and race to imperialism and colonization. Featuring extraordinary 18th century artefacts from the permanent collection, The Great Divide highlights complex stories about privilege, oppression, danger, desire, revolution and resistance that are as relevant today as they were 300 years ago.

All About Shoes: Footwear Through the Ages

Permanent

As the museum’s flagship exhibition, this exhibit takes visitors on a voyage through 4500 years of footwear history, focusing on the important role that footwear plays in our lives and imaginations.  Up a flight of stairs is the exhibition Behind the Scenes: A Glimpse into Artefact Storage.  With only four percent of the collection typically on view at any given time, this area gives visitors a glimpse into the museum’s two storage vaults and offers rotations of artefacts from the collection.

OPENING HOURS

Monday to Saturday: 10am to 5pm

Sunday: 12pm to 5pm

We are open 362 days a year ~ closed on Good Friday, National Truth and Reconciliation Day and Christmas Day