BSM Kids

Every Saturday and Sunday the Bata Shoe Museum offers family themed activities geared for children ages 3-9. Come in this January and create you're very own pinecone skier! (Isn't it just adorable?)

 You can read all about Toronto Loves Kicks and the great work they do on their website - www.torontoloveskicks.com

And don't forget to stop by the BSM to check out some of the excellent designs like these ones pictured!

This Wednesday we have volunteer Tracy with us. Q: When did you start volunteering here at the Bata Shoe Museum? A: I just back in March. Q: Why did you decide to volunteer here at the museum? A: I was looking for a place to volunteer and I saw a posting online for the museum, and since I liked the museum I gave them a call. Q: What tasks do you do when you’re here? A: Front desk work Q: What’s your favorite part of volunteering? A: I love working with my front desk partner Naomi, and I love interacting with the visitors. Q: What is your favorite shoe from any of the galleries we have on presently at the Museum?

This Wednesday we have volunteer Naomi with us. Naomi is one of longest running volunteers. Q: When did you start volunteering here at the Bata Shoe Museum? A: I've been here twenty years. I started in September of 1992. Q: Why did you decide to volunteer here at the museum? A: I had a fashion background and I was looking for a place to volunteer. I visited the museum, back when it was in a much smaller building, and really like what I saw and decided to volunteer here. Q: What tasks do you do when you're here? A: I work at the front desk. Q: What's your favorite part of volunteering? A: I really enjoy speaking to visitors. Q: Lastly, what is your favorite shoe from any of the galleries we have on presently at the Museum?

Today we have Cynthia, who is interning here from England.

Q: How long have you been interning here at the Bata Shoe Museum?

A: I'm here from September to January, but I am going home to England for a few weeks in December.

Q: Why did you decide to participate in an internship here?

A: I finished my MA in Art Museum & Galley Education and I wanted to get experience.

Q: What are some of the activities you do here at BSM?

A: I do tour, JK - Grade 12, adults and ESL. I also work at the front desk and shop. As well I'm working on a personal project making more discovery boxes for the museum.

Q: What is one of your favorite things about being an intern?

A: I like having the inside look into the museum, getting to see things and getting to go behind the scenes.

Q: Lastly what is your favorite shoe in the permanent collection?

A: Oh I have to think for a minute. I think the Asante shoe.  That shoe and the artifacts looked familiar so I looked it up and discovered that my family comes from that part of Africa, and our family can be considered Asante which I thought was really interesting.

It’s that time of the week, everyone! It’s time for one of our staff members at the Museum to say a little something about their favourite shoe in the Bata collection. Today we asked one of our interns, Julia about her favourite shoe.

Q: What is your favourite shoe in the BSM collection?

A: I think one of my favourite shoes in our present galleries would have to be the Roger Vivier 'Belle Du Jour' buckle shoes. I really love the extremely colourful pair with the matching handbag. 

Q: Why is this your favourite?

A: I love the idea of buckles on shoes, being able to change up they style of you shoe daily. As well I like the lower heel it's a little more comfortable but still fashionable and the colourful pattern is fantastic.  

Q: Would you wear these boots if you owned a pair?

Today we have new front desk volunteer Nishi with us. Q: When did you start volunteering here at the Bata Shoe Museum? A: I started recently in September.

- Q: Why did you decide to volunteer here at the museum? A: Well I’m looking into a career in a museum so I though it would be a great place to learn and make connections.

- Q: What tasks do you do when you’re here? A:Well I work at the front desk so I greet visitors and ring them in as well as sell things in the gift shop. I also do a little administrative work, answering phones and receiving mail.

-

Q: What’s your favorite part of volunteering? A: The people. Everyone here is surprisingly helpful and friendly.

-

Q: What is your favorite shoe form our permanent collection?

A: Oh the purple sparkly Dolce & Gabbana Madonna shoe is very cool, that one is pretty outrageous.

- Q: Any final thoughts?

Today we are interviewing one of our two present interns, Julia. Julia is a co-op student from Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School.

Q: How long have you been interning here at the Bata Shoe Museum?

A: I started my placement in mid September and I will be finished in January.

-

Q: Why did you decide to participate in an internship here?

A: I'm doing a four credit co-op at my school this semester. I decided to do my placement at The Bata Shoe Museum because I wanted to work somewhere with the opportunities to try many different jobs. As well a smaller museum like the Bata allows me to really understand all the workings of a museum.

-

Q: What are some of the activities you do here at BSM?

A: Well I start everyday by opening open the museum, turning on all the lights, projectors and DVD players. I also often work at the front desk doing admission as well as the gift shop. I also am now able to give tours, which is something I really enjoy.

-

Q: What is one of your favorite things about being an intern?

A: I love all the different types of activities I get to do, I enjoy interacting with guests, giving tours and being at the front desk. I also love all the different staff and volunteers I get to meet and work with. And of course I love being here instead of at school!

Q: Lastly what's your favorite shoe in a permanent collection?

A: I love the whole fashion timeline, but I adore the shoes from the sixties. They're so fun and colourful and youthful.

Every year here at the Bata Shoe Museum we spend 4 weeks training volunteers from the community to become docents. A docent is a person who acts as a guide, typically on a voluntary basis, in a museum, art gallery, or zoo. We had two groups filled with exciting new docents being trained this year, and we are happy to announce that they are all ready to head out and start giving the tours!

You can now look forward to regular interviews with these new docents, right here on our Tumblr!

Sometimes, when we see artifacts at a museum, we wonder how the museum got them. The pair of shoes once owned and worn by Roger Federer, who, in July 2012, was ranked the World’s #1 tennis player by the Association of Tennis Professionals, has an interesting story behind them.

Roger Hunziker, the education assistant here at The Bata Shoe Museum, was born and raised in the same town in Switzerland as Federer. Roger has never met Federer, so how did we get these shoes?

Roger’s Mother is a hairstylist and one of her clients is Federer’s Mother. Roger was thrilled to hear this and asked his Mother to see if Mrs. Federer would ask her son to donate a pair of his shoes to the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada. Federer agreed, and that is how this wonderful pair of shoes, once worn by the one of the greatest tennis players of all time, came to BSM!

One of the many activites offered as part of the Magical Summer Fun program at the Bata Shoe Museum, is an opportunity to write a wish on the Magic Lantern Wishing Wall. Over the past several weeks, groups of children visiting from camps and daycares have thought long and hard about what to wish for. Here are a few of the wonderful wishes that have been added to the wall:

“I wish I can fly to see the world”

“I wish to play in the NHL”

“I wish that I can see Lebron James”

“I wish that I can go to the Philippines to see my family”

“I wish for world peace, joy, love, unity, dreams and that we all live in abundance and harmony”

“I wish that I have wings so I could fly”

“I wish that when I grow up I will be a soccer player!”

It's that time of the week, everyone! It's time for one of our staff members at the Museum to say a little something about their favourite shoe in the Bata collection. Today we asked Kiyanna, our Grade 12 co-op student, about her favourite shoe.

Q: What is your favourite shoe in the Bata collection?

A: My favourite is the pair of Zuni Wedding Boots, found in the Beauty, Identity, and Pride exhibit

Q: Why is this your favourite?

A: This is my favourite because it reminds me of the modern day engagement. It's actually quite romantic, because the Zuni bridegroom would tan and sew together the boots for his bride-to-be for their wedding day

Q: Would you wear these boots if you owned a pair?

We're getting ready for our Summer Fun Program for camps and day cares. It's called Magical Summer Fun this year, and we're playing at being wizards and witches. The kids will make their own magic wands, and also magical gardens (that's Herbology Class for you Harry Potter fans). You can practice your Harry Potter spells before you visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spells_in_Harry_Potter

Accio Summer!, I say.

Here are photos of Quach and Dana prepping the arts & crafts