James AllenToronto has its fair share of museums, and out of all that I’ve visited, one of the most interesting has to be the Bata Shoe Museum, which is located inside the University of Toronto.
As the name suggests, the Bata Shoe Museum is all about shoes—how they came about and how they’ve changed in different areas. About 15,000 shoes are featured here, and some of them are super old—like the ancient Egyptian sandals!
If you want to visit the museum, here’s a guide with everything you need to know—from the currently available exhibits to other fun events to watch out for!
Things to Know
Address: 327 Bloor St W, University of Toronto
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Saturday—10 am to 5 pm
- Sunday—12 pm to 5 pm
Contact Number: +14169797799
How to Get Here
By Subway: Ride the subway to the St. George Station. From there, walk to the museum. This should only take about a minute.
By Bus: Ride Bus 300B and alight at the bus stop at Bloor Street West and St. George Street. The museum is right across the bus stop.
By Car: There’s no dedicated parking lot here, but you can park on the street for free. There are also other parking options (paid) nearby, such as Carpark 205 (465 Huron Street) and OISE Parking Garage (71 Prince Arthur Avenue).
Admission Fee
The prices for general admission are as follows:
- Adult: C$16
- Senior Citizen: C$12
- Student: C$8
- Child (5–17 years old): C$5
You can also choose to purchase a family pass if you’re coming with your family. The first pass is C$26, and it’s applicable for a group with one adult and up to four children. If there are two adults and up to four children in your group, the pass costs C$39.
Children aged four years or younger, indigenous peoples, and care and support workers get to enjoy free entry to the museum.
Also, every Sunday, the museum lets everyone in for free, so keep that in mind if you want to visit and save money at the same time.
Current Exhibits to Check Out
All About Shoes
– From: batashoemuseum
Most of the exhibits at the Bata Shoe Museum are temporary, but there’s a permanent—or, at least, semi-permanent—exhibit available as well. That’s All About Shoes.
It’s here where you get to see most of the museum’s catalogue of 15,000 items and get a glimpse of 4,500 years of footwear history.
I love seeing the oldest shoes, especially the ones from China. Ancient Chinese footwear is interesting to see—from the lotus shoes used to bind feet to shoes with high platforms!
Rough and Ready
– From: batashoemuseum
Duration: From May 2025 to October 2026
I used to think that cowboy boots were nothing but just a pair of decorative footwear, but Rough and Ready is here to prove me wrong. This exhibit documents the story of the cowboy boots—how they were born out of industrialization, and now they’ve become symbols of labour and leisure!
My favourite items here have to be the early heels, which are mostly from Iran and go as far back as the 10th century. These heels tend to have geometric patterns and natural motifs, and these designs were so influential that Europeans eventually adopted them at the turn of the 17th century.
It’s so fascinating to learn all this! Now, I have a deeper appreciation for cowboy boots.
Art/Wear: Sneakers and Artists
– From: batashoemuseum
Duration: October 3, 2024 to March 23, 2026
Stunning art on sneakers—that’s exactly the premise behind Art/Wear: Sneakers and Artists, and I love it! This exhibit also explores the concepts of art and fashion, and by the end of every visit, I end up contemplating my own relationship with fashion.
Inside, you can find several sneakers with unique art by renowned artists like Aaron Fowler and Vicky Vuong. I love seeing how artists approach the sneakers as a canvas; some have elaborate designs, while others look more simplistic.
Exhibit A
– From: batashoemuseum
Duration: Until September 28, 2025
If I could only pick one favourite out of the current roster of exhibits at the museum, I would have to choose Exhibit A. It’s interesting and insightful, and it’s only here until September 2025, so you better check it out ASAP!
Exhibit A explores the connection between crime and footwear, and since I’m a true crime enthusiast, you can see why I love this exhibit. Here, we see how shoes are used in investigating and solving crimes; there are even shoes worn by criminals here!
What I love most about this exhibit, though, is that it also includes commentary about the judicial system and the social constructions of criminality throughout time.
For example, footwear plays a role in forming cultural ideas of criminality, which is likewise informed by assumptions and prejudice. When I read that part of the exhibit, I had to pause and ruminate because it’s true; I just never thought much about it before!
Travelling Exhibitions
– From: batashoemuseum
On top of the temporary exhibits, sometimes, the museum also has travelling exhibitions. These exhibitions travel to certain cities, stay at a certain museum for a while, before moving on to the next location.
Since these exhibitions are only for a limited time, chances are you’ll find something new with every visit. One travelling exhibition that stands out to me is Future Now, which showcased innovative footwear designs. I remember checking out this exhibit and being like, “Wow, the future is now!”
Online Exhibitions
– From: batashoemuseum
Can’t make it to the museum? Don’t worry, because they actually have a few exhibitions that are available online! So, you can learn something new about footwear from the comfort of your room!
Here are some of the online exhibitions that I recommend:
- Boots and Blades. This one is especially perfect for skating enthusiasts because it tackles the history and development of Canadian figure skating.
- The Perfect Pair. This exhibit is about wedding shoes from different countries. I really like this one because it provides an interesting look at various cultures, illuminating their similarities and differences.
- Want. Curious how footwear during the Great Depression was like? This exhibition has all the answers! And you might be surprised to discover that some shoes during this era were still pretty glamorous!
- On Pointe. Interested in ballet, especially the history of ballet shoes? This exhibition is for you!
- SOCKS. This one documents how people use socks throughout time.
- Standing Tall. Contrary to the present, men used to wear high heels! This exhibition tackles this interesting period of history.
Daycare and Youth Programs
#BSMFROMHOME
– From: batashoemuseum
#BSMFROMHOME is another online initiative hosted by the museum. It’s kind of like the online exhibitions because it mostly has classes about shoes. There are also workshops!
One class I attended is The Making of Moccasins, taught by Justine Woods. I actually didn’t make any moccasins because I didn’t have the tools, but it was still fun to watch the creation process.
By the end, this class made me appreciate the moccasins I have. Just think about the amount of effort and labour one poured into making them!
Summer Day Camp
– From: batashoemuseum
Worried that your child might get too bored during summer vacation? You might want to enroll them for the museum’s Summer Day Camp!
Every year, the theme for the camp changes, so your child has something to look forward to.
For 2025, the theme is inspired by the Rough and Ready exhibit, and the camp is officially called Boots and Spurs. So, you can expect your child to get acquainted with cowboy crafts, as well as try wearing some cool cowboy gear!
This camp will also have adult supervisors, so you can rest assured that your child will be safe and have fun at the same time.
Other Fun Events at the Museum
– From: batashoemuseum
The fun at the Bata Shoe Museum doesn’t just stop at the exhibitions. There are also other fun events that you can look forward to every month!
I’m always excited for trivia nights because they let my competitive self thrive. Not to brag, I’ve won a few times now, so you can say I’m a true trivia enthusiast.
There are also talks and panels about a variety of topics, and I try to attend as many as possible because they’re always so insightful and engaging.
Where to Shop: BSM Shop
– From: batashoemuseum
Every time I visit a museum, I always get something from the shop for remembrance’s sake. If you’re like me, then you need to stop by the BSM Shop before leaving!
This shop usually sells ornaments and paper goods that are inspired by the museum’s collection of shoes, and sometimes, they go crazy with the designs. Once, I saw a paperweight in the form of a bejewelled shoe. It was striking!
Personally, I’m a big fan of the museum’s books and other print publications. They’re always about a niche topic or a book version of one of their exhibits, and though I’m not a shoe expert, I do love learning new things.
