the museum of shoemaking

It’s more than just old shoes. The Shoe Museum in Zlin does in fact have an outstanding selection of footwear through the ages and from all corners of the planet. It’s well laid out and the staff at the entry point offer booklets with information about the various items (from where and when and other pertinent details). The booklets are also in English, but I didn’t ask about other languages. In the display cases themselves, there are just numbers next to the various shoes. The corresponding number in the booklet provides the background. The museum also features the history of the Bata shoe company which was founded in Zlin before becoming a global enterprise. It’s a fascinating study and offers good insight into a very progressive businessman. Among other things, he believed that taking care of his workers would make them happier and therefore more productive. To that end he made sure his workers were well paid and offered them many benefits, including healthcare, housing and daycare for the children. The museum includes a selection of machines form the original factory. The visit was well worth the small entrance fee.