The museum’s newest display features seven pairs of shoes. You can find them in the lobby, in a special case dedicated to exhibiting unique aspects of the museum’s collection during our centennial year. The shoes on display here are only a small fraction of what lies in the museum’s collection. Since 1915 the museum has collected 339 pairs of shoes in all shapes, sizes, and styles including moccasins, slippers, sabots and boots. (Fun fact: one of our most recent additions is a pair of 20th century Hmong funeral slippers.)
The shoes currently on display were chosen because they represent how women’s footwear evolved between 1830 and 1920. Throughout the 19th century, even though shoes were meant to be functional, heels grew and vibrant colors became more common. In the 1920s fashionable shoes became even more popular as skirt lines ascended. Decorative aspects were added and heels became more important for they gave the foot a sleeker and more feminine look.
These shoes will be on display through the end of September. In October we’ll roll out another part of our collection!