Inside Bata Shoe Museum’s epic new exhibition and opening celebration

You just had to be there. But if you weren’t, worry not! Toronto’s Bata Shoe Museum’s latest exhibition has just launched, and the smashing success of the opening celebration, combined with the two-thousand-year-old findings on display, makes it a must-see attraction.

In partnership with the Vindolanda Trust, the Bata Shoe Museum has just unveiled Unearthing Vindolanda: Footwear from the Edge of the Roman Empire.

Vindo-what?

So, what is Vindolanda? It was a Roman auxiliary fort and settlement located south of Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, England. While first occupied by the Roman army around 85 CE, Vindolanda was an active military settlement for more than 300 years. One can only begin to imagine what those grounds have seen!

Thanks to historians, we don’t have to wonder. When modern archaeologists in the area began finding a wide variety of shoes, it expanded our understanding of who lived there at the time and what their lives looked like. For example, researchers always thought that Roman military garrisons only housed men, but uncovered footwear included those of elite women and little children in addition to soldiers’ boots.

Life during the Roman Empire

The exhibition features over 100 footwear-related artifacts, unveiled for the first time in North America. All items are part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is all about uncovering accounts of ancient life at the edge of the Roman Empire through ongoing archaeological excavations. Some of the items are estimated to be nearly 2,000 years old!

The opening celebration – always a highlight of new Bata Shoe Museum exhibitions – partied it up ancient Rome-style, with stunning statues, food fit for the gods, and, of course, a sneak peek at Unearthing Vindolanda: Footwear from the Edge of the Roman Empire.

If the Roman Empire is your Roman Empire, then you don’t want to miss out on this unique opportunity to get a glimpse into the past. Check out Unearthing Vindolanda: Footwear from the Edge of the Roman Empire until September 2027, and learn more about Bata Shoe Museum’s other exhibitions online.

Unearthing Vindolanda: Footwear from the Edge of the Roman Empire

Where: Bata Shoe Museum — 327 Bloor St. W., Toronto
When: Until September 2027
Cost: $16 General Admission