Bata Shoe Museum

Monday	10AM-5PM
Tuesday	10AM-5PM
Wednesday	12-5PM
Thursday	10AM-5PM
Friday	10AM-5PM
Saturday	10AM-5PM
Sunday	10AM-5PM

This is one of the smaller museums in the city (something to keep in mind) but is definitely worth checking out if you love shoes, or interested in how footwear differs through time and different countries. The museum is good for all ages, and is easily accessible by transit, located right outside the west exit of St. George subway station. Depending on how often you visit this place, and how much time you take to read the exhibit descriptions, you can expect to spend one to three hours here. Self guided tours and free WiFi are available, and the museum is very easy to navigate. Their permanent collection on the lower level explores 4,500 years of footwear history, from ancient Egyptian sandals to contemporary worn by celebrities to shoes made for modern days dolls like Barbie and Polly Pocket. They also change the exhibits on their other floors regularly. Some of the featured exhibits I've checked out over the years included Manolo Blahnik, All Dolled Up, and most recently In Bloom all of which I found interesting.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

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 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.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

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, they 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.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

The Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto is an absolute gem that truly walks you through the fascinating history of footwear. This unique museum offers a one-of-a-kind experience that's both informative and enjoyable. From ancient sandals to modern sneakers, the diverse collection of shoes is awe-inspiring. The displays are well-curated, making it easy to follow the evolution of footwear styles and their cultural significance. The museum not only showcases shoes but also provides insights into the lives and societies that produced them. With its engaging exhibits and interactive elements, it's a place where learning meets fun for visitors of all ages. Whether you're a fashion enthusiast, a history buff, or simply curious about the world of shoes, the Bata Shoe Museum is a must-visit destination that will undoubtedly leave you with a newfound appreciation for the stories our footwear can tell.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Total of 3 floors of exhibition. Visit month is August 2022. Tip is - come on Sunday as they offer free visit..and if you run out of things to do while in /visiting Toronto. First floor - Informative on history of footwear , however very poor layout. As there are plenty of reading/info to do (in a chronological order) there was line of people backlogged..while other spots are completely empty. The whole layout and display is unfortunately not the best. Second floor- i assume special exhibition done by artists/different set of people. Tiny and not shoe/footwear-focused but footwear related. During my visit it was about Barbie’s shoes collection. Third floor- also seems done by independent team/artist on Future of shoes (VR/AR stuffs) - the QR code didnt work to view the AR shoe(s?). small size collection too.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
Up to 10 min
Reservation recommended
No

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 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!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

Some much needed*new* exhibits. The flowers in bloom at the top floor is nicely decorated, but the actual pieces themselves seem forced. Still a pretty room to see. The second floor is a major upgrade from the last with half the room dedicated to new age sneakers and footwear , definitely suitable for sneakerheads or anyone into fashion and street wear. Everything else remains large unchanged from years past. Plan to spend about 60 mins here in total. They have free entry on Sunday which I recommended, as the ticket prices are not worth what they have available to see.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Entry is free on Sunday, and worth a visit to enjoy a history of Bata shoes. There's plenty of seating on the floors, allowing you to sit for awhile and enjoy the exhibits. Plenty of photo opportunities of the shoes through the ages, some of which are quite amusing. Gift shop was quite small and a bit disappointing. Wanted to get a postcard of the outside as the building is shaped like a Bata shoebox, but was only available as a fold out note card. Some of the bizarre shoes would have made excellent postcards. Marketing opportunities right there .
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

When you hear 'shoe museum', the first thing that comes to mind is "how can that be entertaining?" The Bata Shoe Museum proved us so wrong. We entered in the afternoon of a Saturday, where we were able to quickly purchase tickets for only $38(there were four of us). The elevator happened to be out of service at the time, but the employees assured us that it was running just fine in the winter. Each exhibit added more to my knowledge of shoes. And let me tell you, I've never wanted a pair of shoes so bad. Would definitely come again!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure

Loved our visit. The Moriyama architecture turns a small footprint into a jewelbox of a museum. The interior is bright, airy and offers views through windows dotted with glass art. The exhibits include a historical review of footwear with dioramas and historical photos amongst the footwear. Upstairs we toured a couple of other exhibits. Flowers was one of the themes, with a ton of examples of engaging shoes. The other was about current futuristic experiments in footwear.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
1 hr+
Reservation recommended
No

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 theme 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 )
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

This museum provides interesting nuggets of evolution of shoes ranging from ballerina to astronauts to the famous Jordans. It is not too big and can probably cover all the exhibits in half a day. The only problem for me is that as a long time bata shoe user since my formative years, there isn't anything much about bata's history in the museum. I always thought that Bata is from my home country until much later thanks to Wikipedia.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

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 shoes 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.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

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 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.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait

Nice small museum dedicated to shoes. It has exhibits on four floors. Visitors are encouraged to start at the lowest floor (basement) and make their way up. The bottom floors contain a history of shoes and their cultural symbolism. There are sections on pop culture and the future of shoe making on the top floors. The reception staff was a bit rude. Expect to spend 60 mins to 90 mins at this museum.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Very nice museum to learn the history of shoes categorized by different eras, cultures, countries and even religious significance. Great and surprising facts to learn and to see so many varieties of shoes from eons ago and from the current century and some futuristic ones. Beautifully organized. Very conveniently located. Traveled by TTC, so not sure about the parking. ROM is less than 10 mins walk from Bata museum. The Bloor Yorkville village is also 10 mins by walk.

The whole museum requires 1-2 hrs to cover 3 floors. It’s quite interesting you will see the evolution of foot wear right from back 16th century to current. By the end, you may observe how humans perception keep changing from need to want by simplification and modernization. Definitely one time watchable. Another observation you may see that LV was into shoe rack business.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

The Bata Shoe Museum (BSM) is a museum of footwear and calceology in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum's building is situated near the northwest of the University of Toronto's St. George campus, in downtown Toronto. The 3,665-square-metre museum building was designed by Moriyama & Teshima Architects, with Raymond Moriyama as the lead architect.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

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 hours here going through the loads of displays and attached descriptions.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

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 with them.. The musem has a cloak room free of charge.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

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 yourself at least 2 to 3 hours.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Go to the basement and pick up the eye spy cards for the different rooms. Helps hold the attention of those you're visiting with. Elton John's shoes are not there unless I totally missed them.... small sex in the city display. The Louboutin boots were lovely!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Enjoyed my visit to this small but interesting museum. There are 4 floors including the basement, with a range of exhibits ranging from the history of shoes to contemporary sports wear and 3d printed shoes! Got in with free community day Sundays.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

It’s a museum about shoes so my expectations weren’t super high, however given the fact its about shoes it wasn’t busy which helped me take the time to read the descriptions of the shoes. Overall for what it is they do a great job at giving a variety of shoes throughout history and you learn some cool new things along the way.

We visit the Bata every time we come to Toronto. The main exhibit is historically solid and full of fun facts. The temporary exhibitions are always interesting and the artefacts well displayed. The museum is a very pleasant space to be in.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Brilliant museum, which walks you through human history through shoes! The whole family found it highly engaging. The In Bloom temporary exhibit was fascinating and stunning. Go. You will likely love it there.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

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’s free on Sundays right now so don’t miss out. More

Beautiful! Everything is just amazing! I really do recommend going! It is something amazing that you can do with friends, family or by yourself and every Sunday is free! Four floors to explore and everything in great detail, if you’re a fashion enthusiast or not, you can learn a lot!

The museum is not bad, but small. It took me 40 minutes to visit. It’s not worth going to it specially, but as a continuation of the walk on a cool winter evening, it’s definitely worth visiting
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

Interesting exhibits, well spaced, lots of great information, and free on Sundays! Definitely worth a stop on a cold/rainy day to check out some fascinating footwear and learn something new.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

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.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait

i went there for 1 of there opening event and it was awesome event ppl there are so nice and approachable the place are so neat too thanks for inviting us BSM we had a great time
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

You might think shoes dont need a museum but this place will prove you wrong. It's actually a very interesting small museum and has tons of cool stuff. Sundays are free! And other days are just 5-10 bucks. Go if you can, at least once. It's a nice experience More

Nice museum to learn a bit about shoes history, FREE on Sundays. 4 floors, elavator accessible. Close to St George Subway station a block away. Eight on Bloor and St George St
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Is eye opening experience in this Bata Shoe Museum. Not only displays of ancient shoes, the stories behind individual creation make the visit more interesting. AMAZING works.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

Fascinating history of humans through shoes. Worth a visit. Small museum - easy to get through in under an hour. Located in lively neighborhood University of Toronto.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

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

We went this Saturday to Bata Shoe Museum. Usually entrance is free only on Sunday but today was free as part of an event. When you will enter inside the lady there is so kind and helpful,she will give you some advices to help you have a

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. More

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.

It's a great place if you're into shoes, or even sneakers! Understand the history of it and get to know why it is the way it is!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

Such a unconventional museum but a place not to be missed. Took my 11 years and 4 years old daughters here and they were so excited to understand and know the history of shoes.

It's an interesting museum to spend a couple of hours learning about the history of shoes.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Very interesting museum to check out and see the history of footwear through the years
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

I had a great experience visiting this museum. It was an absolutely fun experience to explore this 4-story museum and learn about the journey of human footwear.