Bata Shoe Museum

The Bata Shoe Museum on Bloor Street West in downtown Toronto is the world's foremost institution dedicated to the history and cultural significance of footwear — from ancient Egyptian sandals to contemporary designer heels. Its collection of roughly 13,000 objects was assembled over decades by Sonja Bata, wife of industrialist Thomas Bata, and the museum opened on May 6, 1995 in a building whose form was deliberately designed to evoke a shoebox. Permanent and rotating galleries cover topics ranging from Arctic mukluks to celebrity footwear, making it an unexpectedly rich window into ethnology, trade, and fashion history. Open Monday–Saturday from 10 am and Sunday from noon; admission fee applies.