The mission of the Bata Shoe Museum is to contribute to the knowledge and understanding of the role of footwear in the social and cultural life of humanity. Through acquiring, conserving, researching, communicating and exhibiting material evidence related to the history of footwear and shoemaking, the Museum illustrates the living habits, the culture and the customs of people. Its international collection close to 15,000 artifacts spans 4,500 years of history.

At present, the permanent collection contains artifacts from virtually every culture in the world. Where else could you find French chestnut crushing boots under the same roof as delicately embroidered Chinese silk shoes, bear fur shoes for Japanese samurai and footwear made from human hair?