The Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto opened in May 1995, built upon the personal collection of nearly 15,000 footwear artifacts amassed by Swiss-born Sonja Bata. Operated by the Bata Shoe Museum Foundation, the museum presents both a permanent exhibition, All About Shoes: Footwear Through the Ages, and three rotating galleries. Spanning some 4,500 years of human history, the collection situates shoes within the broader contexts of culture, identity, design and social change.

Housed in a striking limestone-and-glass structure designed by Moriyama & Teshima Architects, the building evokes a tilted shoe box and features environmentally controlled exhibit spaces across five levels. The permanent gallery includes interactive displays, visible storage and dioramas that link footwear to technology, fashion trends, social status and global trade over centuries.

In addition to exhibitions, the museum is engaged in research, publishing, lectures and public programming. It serves as an international centre for footwear research, supports fieldwork, academic publications and educational outreach. School tours, the Step Ahead program for at-risk youth, and community events like the annual "Warm the Sole" sock drive deepen its public impact.

Temporary exhibitions range widely—from Indigenous footwear traditions, sneaker art collaborations to themed shows such as Art/Wear: Sneakers × Artists (ongoing through 2026) and Dressed to Impress: Consumerism in the 1980s (on view until March 2025), plus Exhibit A: Investigating Crime and Footwear (through September 2025).

With over 100,000 annual visitors and community trust as a charitable museum, it combines aesthetic display, rigorous scholarship and inclusive programming. Its dedication to Indigenous partnerships, transparency, and authentic storytelling encourages cultural understanding and fosters a welcoming museum experience for diverse audiences.