The Bata Shoe Museum first opened its doors 30 years ago on May 6th, 1995 with the mission to illuminate human history through footwear. A rare cultural gem, the BSM began as a small personal collection that has since transformed into an internationally celebrated museum caring for nearly 15,000 shoes and shoe-related artifacts spanning over 4,500 years. Visit our online timeline to learn more about the history of the Bata Shoe Museum.

To celebrate, we invite you to join us for a day of free family fun that honours both our 30-year milestone as well as the opening of our spring exhibition titled Rough and Ready: A History of the Cowboy Boot. Saddle up for a day of wild Western-themed activities, performances, games, and self-guided hands-on cowboy crafts that will have you hollering “Yeehaw”. Watch an electrifying Rhinestone Rodeo Show by the dynamic circus trio Rhinestone Rodeo, blending dazzling acrobatics with cowboy charm. Take a guided exhibition tour of Rough & Ready and then venture on a museum-wide scavenger hunt to win a prize. For the courageous type, try out your skills on the kid-friendly mechanical bull. (Consent form signed onsite by an adult required).

Dust off your cowboy boots and join us for a rootin’ tootin’ good time!

Agenda
Doors Open – 12:00 pm
Rhinestone Rodeo Show – 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm
Guided Exhibition Tours* – 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm
Crafts and Games12:00 pm – 4:30 pm

*Limited spots. First come, first served.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Rhinestone Rodeo

Country charm with a circus flair, the Rhinestone Rodeo circus show is coming your way. These gals will jump through hoops (and ropes!) for you with a smile on their face the whole time! Meet Bella Magic, the fastest wit in the west, Zoe Stardust, the bubbly Southern Belle, and our whisky darling Lucy Loop. You can expect to see rope tricks, comedy, hula hoops, hoop lasso’s, line dance routines, audience participation and, of course, a healthy dose of country music.

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.

Shop with purpose! On Sunday, December 1, our Museum shop will be taking part in Museum Store Sunday, an event celebrating museum shops worldwide. We’ll be offering a one-day sale: 10% off all merchandise, or 20% when you bring in a new, unused pair of socks to donate to Socks 4 Souls Canada Enjoy free admission to our museum as part of our Free Sundays.

When: Sunday June 9, 16, and 23 at 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm (30 minute readings)
Cost: Included with Free Admission
Where: B1 Level

Celebrate Pride with the BSM and Glad Day Bookshop! On select Sundays throughout the month, BSM invites special guest Tianna Henry to join us and read a children’s book to our guests with themes of inclusivity and diversity. No registration is required, drop-in only.

ABOUT THE HOST

Tianna Henry

Tianna Henry believes that everyone deserves to find a place that celebrates exactly what they bring to the table. As the Events & Community Outreach Lead at Glad Day Bookshop (the world’s oldest 2SLGBTQIA+ Bookshop), she’s been giving platforms to 2SLGBTQIA+ artists and performers since 2018.

Tianna is the founder of Glad Day TV, the virtual events platform launched early pandemic, which has been viewed by tens of thousands of people. She’s also the co-founder of Trans Toolkits, a non-profit that supports trans people in getting the gender affirming tools they need. And lastly, she’s a DEI consultant specializing in educating companies and their team members on the 2SLGBTQIA+ history, community values, stigmatization, and best practices in allyship. Tianna has been featured in OutTV, Toronto Star and the BBC.

Cost: Included with General Admission
When: Every Monday to Friday from July 2 to August 16, 10am – 4pm (Some restrictions apply)
Where: B1 level, Bata Shoe Museum

Ever wonder what it might be like to be a super sleuth? Join us throughout the summer from Monday to Friday for our exciting new Shoe Detective Academy! Learn about shoe forensics, create your own cypher to decode a bracelet you can make yourself, complete puzzles, solve a shoe heist and more. Collect a stamp after each activity to earn your Shoe Detective badge!+

Family programs are free with museum admission and do not require tickets or reservations unless otherwise noted. Parents must be in attendance.

+Stamps and detective badges will only be available until 4:30pm from Monday – Friday

Shoe Done It Presentation (11:30 am and 3:00 pm)

Kids will learn the importance of footwear forensics when it comes to solving crime! Using our hands-on collection, kids will discover a variety of footwear inspired by our Exhibit A exhibition and learn the stories behind them. Finally, you’ll get the chance to play the detective while you listen to a short mystery story, and guess who committed the crime based on the footprint “left at the scene”.

Weekday Drop-In Activities

Availiable from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

All materials provided, this self-guided family station is a great way to commemorate your visit to the BSM by making a unique take-home craft. Activities include:

  • Secret Code Bracelet making with special decoding cypher
  • Morse Code Machine
  • Puzzles

Museum Scavenger Hunts*

Shoe Heist

Use the clues to explore the galleries and find the hidden items for your chance to win a prize. For kids 8+.

I Spy Cards
Shoes can have a lot of intricate detail. Use this visual guide to search and find the various patterns and motifs. Complete one for each exhibition.

*Scavenger hunts are available daily. On weekends, please see our Visitor Services desk for information and prizes!

Cost: Included with general admission
Where: Bata Shoe Museum (327 Bloor St. W.)

Spring has sprung at the Bata Shoe Museum! Join us for self-serve crafts and a museum-wide scavenger hunt to celebrate the return to Spring! Crafts are subject to change. Scavenger hunt for children ages 10 and under. Available while supplies last.

Make a winter craft, or an 80s crafts (in celebration of our newest exhibition, Dressed To Impress) Try your luck in our 80s Shoebox Bingo, and get to handle shoes from across time, and from around the world in our Hands On History program!

Drop-in guided Activites, Dec. 27 – Jan. 6*

10:00 am – self-guided crafts all day
12:00 pm – Hands on history
1:00 pm – 80s shoebox bingo
2:00 pm – Hands on history
3:00 pm – 80s shoebox bingo

*Every day except Sundays and Jan. 1.

Cost: Free (conditions apply)
When: Saturday, October 28 (10:00 am to 5:00 pm) and Sunday, October 29 (12:00 pm to 5:00 pm)
Where: Bata Shoe Museum (327 Bloor St. W.)

This Halloween we will be celebrating in costume and invite you to join us! Youth and kids aged 17 and under who visit in costume will receive FREE admission*. There will be trick-or-treating stations throughout the museum**, and hands-on crafts for the whole family! Our ever-popular iSpy game cards and try-on station will also be available to add to the family-friendly fun.

* Kids must be accompanied by an adult. Adults do not qualify for free entry.
** Quantities are limited

Cost: Free (conditions apply)
When: Saturday, October 28 (10:00 am to 5:00 pm) and Sunday, October 29 (12:00 pm to 5:00 pm)
Where: Bata Shoe Museum (327 Bloor St. W.)

This Halloween we will be celebrating in costume and invite you to join us! Youth and kids aged 17 and under who visit in costume will receive FREE admission*. There will be trick-or-treating stations throughout the museum**, and hands-on crafts for the whole family! Our ever-popular iSpy game cards and try-on station will also be available to add to the family-friendly fun.

* Kids must be accompanied by an adult. Adults do not qualify for free entry.
** Quantities are limited

 
Join us every Monday to Friday from July 17 to September 1 for daily drop-in family activities designed for kids aged 0 to 12. Look, listen, sing, create, dance and get inspired by our custom activities and shoe themed games. Summer Fun family programs are free with museum admission and do not require tickets or reservations unless otherwise noted. Parents must be in attendance. See schedule below.

Storytime: 10:00 am – 10:30 am
Journey through a variety of themes and unique topics as our Education Guide reads and animates a new storybook each day. Full of imagination and conversation about the story, this engaging series will inspire new ideas and creative thinking.

Shoebox Bingo: 11:00 am – 11:30 am
Explore and play with real-life size shoes like you never have before! This exciting adaptation of Bingo will delight and amaze as you learn footwear fun facts along the way. Prizes for the winner and most engaged.

Hands-On: 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm
Touch, feel, try-on and learn about a variety of extraordinary shoes from the BSM collection that each connect to an interesting theme such as: Sports, Renewable Resources, Shoes for Different Climates, and the Evolution of Shoe Production. The collection will constantly rotate so come back again and again to experience them all!

Shoebox Bingo: 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Explore and play with real life-size shoes like you never have before! This exciting adaptation of Bingo will delight and amaze as you learn footwear fun facts along the way. Prizes for the winner and most engaged.

Hands-On: 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Touch, feel, try-on and learn about a variety of extraordinary shoes from the BSM collection that each connect to an interesting theme such as: Sports, Renewable Resources, Shoes for Different Climates, and the Evolution of Shoe Production. The collection will constantly rotate so come back again and again to experience them all!

Storytime: 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Journey through a variety of themes and unique topics as our Education Guide reads and animates a new storybook each day. Full of imagination and conversation about the story, this engaging series will inspire new ideas and creative thinking.
 

Activity Kit

The fun never ends at the BSM! Upon arrival, be sure to pick up a Summer Fun Activity Kit to guide kids through the museum and offer them hands-on crafts all day. Each Kit includes:

  • Scavenger Hunt – use the clues to explore the galleries and find the hidden items for your chance to win a prize. For kids 8+.
  • Activity Booklet – kids learn a lot at the BSM! This activity book is a fun and engaging way to show off their new knowledge.
  • I Spy Cards – shoes can have a lot of intricate detail. Use this visual guide to search and find the various patterns and motifs. Complete one for each exhibition.

 

Kids Craft Zone

Visit the Kids Craft Zone in the lower level for new, weekly hands-on crafts every Monday to Friday. All materials provided, this self-guided family station is a great way to commemorate your visit to the BSM by making a unique take-home craft.