Curator’s Talk: Celebrating Women in Design
Date: Tuesday, March 11
Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Doors Open 6:30 pm)
Ticket: $15 General Admission, $10 Student (ID Required) and Senior (65+), Free for Friends of the BSM
Location: Bata Shoe Museum
Join us for an inspiring lecture by Bata Shoe Museum Curator Nishi Bassi as she explores the impactful, but often underrecognized contributions of women in shoe design. From Beth Levine’s pioneering work in the mid-20th century to Aurora James’s modern activism-driven designs, women have played a vital role in shaping the footwear industry. This engaging talk will explore the artistry and influence of these remarkable women but also examine the barriers that have historically limited female representation in shoemaking. Discover how these trailblazers have carved their path in a male-dominated field, paving the way for future generations.
Agenda
6:30 pm – Doors Open
7:00 pm – Lecture Begins
8:00 pm – Lecture Ends, Galleries Open
9:30 – Doors Close
Please present your e-ticket at the front desk upon arrival. Please contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions.
Nishi Bassi is a Curator and Exhibitions Project Manager with over 10 years of experience in the museum industry. Her educational background is in British history, and current research interests include fashion, consumer culture, and post-colonialism. She is also an EDI champion, who strategically plans and advocates for change to ensure that accessibility remains a priority in all projects. Nishi has been with the Bata Shoe Museum since 2013 where she currently works as the Curator and Manager of Exhibitions. She currently holds a volunteer position on the Board of Directors for ICOM Canada.
Earth Day at the BSM
Date: Sunday, April 13, 2025
Time: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.
Tickets:Included with Free Sundays admission, registration is encouraged
Celebrate Earth Day at the Bata Shoe Museum with fun and eco-friendly activities for all ages! Discover how footwear impacts the environment in our engaging Footwear and the Environment presentations, exploring sustainable practices and innovative designs shaping the future of shoes. Then, get creative with our shoelace coloring activity—a hands-on way to refresh your old shoes and give them a brand-new look while keeping them out of the landfill. Join us for a day of inspiration, creativity, and steps toward a greener future!
Agenda
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Shoelace Colouring (while supplies last)
12:15 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm – Footwear and the Environment Presentation
Please present your e-ticket at the front desk upon arrival. We encourage visitors to arrive early to avoid disappointment. All events and activities are presented on a first come, first serve basis. Please contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions or concerns.
March Break 2025
When: Monday, March 10 – Saturday, March 15
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.
Tickets: Included with general admission.)
Step into a fun-filled March Break at the Bata Shoe Museum with daily crafts, games, and tours that are sure to keep kids and adults entertained all week long. Get creative at our self-guided craft station, join one of our expert guides for a fascinating tour of our galleries, or challenge your footwear knowledge with our Wheel of Shoes Trivia game for a chance to win a shoe-themed prize.
Daily Drop-In Programming Schedule
Each program runs for about 45 minutes to 1 hour
11:00 am – Guided Exhibition Tour
12:00 pm – Wheel of Shoes Trivia
1:00 pm – Guided Exhibition Tour
2:00 pm – Wheel of Shoes Trivia
All March Break programming is included with your general admission ticket for adults and children. Please note that children must be accompanied by an adult. Crafts are while supplies last.
Family Day at the BSM
Date: Monday, February 17, 2025
Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.
Tickets: Included with general admission
Spend your Family Day with us making fun crafts including a mini game in a box, ‘Laces and Ladders’ and more! Take a self-guided tour of our current exhibitions, have some family fun in the Try-On Shoes area, play games with family and friends including iSpy around the museum with our exhibition-themed activity cards.
Family Day programming is included with your general admission ticket for adults and children. All crafts are subject to supply availability. Please note that children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Indigenous Walking Tour
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm (Please arrive by 9:45 am)
Location: Start at Paul Martel Park (10 Madison Ave.Toronto, ON) / Finish at Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.
Tickets: $25 General, $20 Friends of the BSM (includes access to all current exhibitions)
In celebration of Earth Month, discover Indigenous history and ecological heritage with us as we partner with The Indigenous Peoples Garden Inc. (formally known as AKI WIIDOOKAAGEWIN (Earth Helpers) for a unique walking tour of the Bloor/Annex neighbourhood. The journey will begin at the Indigenous Botanical Garden in Paul Martel Park (10 Madison Ave. Toronto) where a local guide will share the rich ecological and Indigenous history of the Annex. Along the way, pause to admire a vibrant mural by artist Joseph Sagaj from the Anishnaabe of the Sturgeon Clan, then enjoy a short 5-minute walk along Bloor Street West to the Bata Shoe Museum. At the Museum, a curator will lead a special moccasin presentation, offering a rare opportunity to explore the Museum’s collection and uncover the connections between traditional footwear and the stories of the land. The tour concludes with a reflection on lost rivers and lakes at Philosophers Walk. Participants are then invited to continue their journey with a self-guided tour of the Bata Shoe Museum’s current exhibitions.
Please present your ticket to a BSM representative upon arrival. Refunds are permitted within 3 business days. Please contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions.
Indigenous Walking Tour
Date: Saturday, April 12, 2025
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm (Please arrive by 9:45 am)
Location: Start at Paul Martel Park (10 Madison Ave.Toronto, ON) / Finish at Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.
Tickets: $25 General, $20 Friends of the BSM (includes access to all current exhibitions)
In celebration of Earth Month, discover Indigenous history and ecological heritage with us as we partner with The Indigenous Peoples Garden Inc. (formally known as AKI WIIDOOKAAGEWIN (Earth Helpers) for a unique walking tour of the Bloor/Annex neighbourhood. The journey will begin at the Indigenous Botanical Garden in Paul Martel Park (10 Madison Ave. Toronto) where a local guide will share the rich ecological and Indigenous history of the Annex. Along the way, pause to admire a vibrant mural by artist Joseph Sagaj from the Anishnaabe of the Sturgeon Clan, then enjoy a short 5-minute walk along Bloor Street West to the Bata Shoe Museum. At the Museum, a curator will lead a special moccasin presentation, offering a rare opportunity to explore the Museum’s collection and uncover the connections between traditional footwear and the stories of the land. The tour concludes with a reflection on lost rivers and lakes at Philosophers Walk. Participants are then invited to continue their journey with a self-guided tour of the Bata Shoe Museum’s current exhibitions.
Please present your ticket to a BSM representative upon arrival. Refunds are permitted within 3 business days. Please contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions.
The Art of Footwear Forensics
Date:Wednesday, April 2
Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Doors Open 6:30 pm)
Location: Bata Shoe Museum
Tickets: $15 General Admission, $10 Student and Senior (ID Required), Free for Friends of the BSM. Includes access to all current exhibitions
Where: Bata Shoe Museum (327 Bloor St. W.)
Step behind the yellow police line and uncover the secrets of real-life crime scene investigations with Detective Ed Adach, a 43-year veteran of the Toronto Police Service and an expert in forensic footwear evidence. In this captivating talk, Detective Adach will share his experiences from the gritty streets of Toronto to war crime investigations in Kosovo and forensic teaching in Afghanistan. Discover how seemingly overlooked evidence—like footwear impressions—has played a crucial role in solving homicide cases. Please note: Detective Adach will be discussing real homicide cases and their details. Viewer discretion is advised.
ABOUT ED ADACH
Detective Ed Adach has been a Toronto police officer for 43 years, with 33 of those years spent in the forensic unit. As a recognized expert in footwear impression evidence, he has testified in court 24 times, investigated war crimes in Kosovo for the United Nations, and taught forensics in Afghanistan. Detective Adach has published extensively in forensic journals and presented his work internationally, earning a reputation as one of Canada’s top authorities in his field.
A portion of the funds related to this event will be donated to Innocence Canada. Innocence Canada’s mission is to identify, advocate for, and support the exoneration of individuals who have been convicted of a crime they did not commit and to prevent wrongful convictions through legal education, advocacy, and justice reform.
Please present your e-ticket at the front desk upon arrival. Refunds are permitted within 3 business days. Please contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions.
Ultimate 80s Trivia
Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (Doors open 6:30 pm)
Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.
Tickets: $25 General, $20 Friends of the BSM (includes one beverage and access to all current exhibitions)
Dust off your shoulder pads, tease your hair, and grab your Rubik’s Cube—it’s time to test your knowledge of everything totally tubular about the 80s with our Ultimate 80s Trivia Night! From chart-topping music hits and iconic blockbuster movies to world-shaping events and retro footwear trends, this is your chance to prove you’re the ultimate 80s expert. This is our final 80s trivia event celebrating the Dressed to Impress: Footwear and Consumerism in the 1980s exhibition, so don’t miss your chance to show off your smarts and say goodbye to this amazing showcase of 80s style.
Agenda
6:30 pm – Doors open
7:00 pm – Trivia
8:00 pm – Galleries open
9:00 pm – Museum Closed
Please present your e-ticket at the front desk upon arrival. Refunds are permitted within 3 business days. Please contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions.
Powwow Dance Workshop
Date: Sunday, March 9, 2025
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Ticket: Free, registration required
Location: Bata Shoe Museum
Experience the vibrant energy of Powwow dancing in this free all-ages, all-abilities workshop led by Deanne Hupfield, host of How to Powwow Dance on YouTube. Deanne will share the beauty of these dances but also her personal stories, fostering awareness and appreciation of Indigenous culture. Whether you’re new to Powwow dance or looking to deepen your connection with it, join us for an inspiring and educational experience celebrating resilience, tradition, and community.
Please present your e-ticket at the front desk upon arrival. We encourage visitors to arrive 5-15 minutes early and to wear comfortable clothes to dance/move in and appropriate shoes. Please contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions or concerns.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Host of How to Powwow Dance on YouTube, Deanne Hupfield is Ojibwe from Temagami First Nation. Raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Deanne dances Fancy Shawl, Jingle Dress, and Hoop dance and has spent her life reconnecting to the culture that was taken from her mother through the 60’s Scoop. Everything that she has learned about culture and powwow she has brought back to her community. She has been teaching powwow dance and Regalia making in her community for over 20 years and now she shares her stories in hopes of building awareness of Indigenous culture.
Year of the Snake Celebration at the BSM
Date: Sunday, January 26
Time: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Ticket: Free, registration is encouraged
Location: Bata Shoe Museum
Join us on Sunday January 26th for special performances from Lion Dance Toronto, crafts from Toronto History Museum’s Youth Volunteers, tea ceremony demonstrations with the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto, and photo opportunities to commemorate the coming Lunar New Year. According to the Chinese zodiac, this year’s new lunar cycle (which begins on Wednesday January 29th) kicks off the year of the Earth Snake.
Agenda
12:30 – Lion Dance (B1)
1:00 – Lion Meet and Greet/Photos (All About Shoes)
1:00 – Tea Ceremony Demonstration (Footprints)
1:45 – Lion Dance (B1)
2:15 – Meet and Greet/Photos (B1)
3:00 – Lion Dance (B1)
3:30 – Tea Ceremony Demonstration (Footprints)
Please present your e-ticket upon arrival. We encourage visitors to arrive early to avoid disappointment. All events and activities are presented on a first come, first serve basis. Due to the popularity of this event, there will be no re-entry to the museum. Note that food and drink, aside from water, are not permitted in the museum. Please contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions or concerns.