Shoes in the Lives of Chinese Women from Late Imperial China (2001) Heights of Fashion: A History of the Elevated Foot (2001) The Perfect Pair: Wedding Shoe Stories (2002–2004) Paths Across the Plains: Native Footwear of the Great Plains (2004–2005) Icons of Elegance: Influential Shoe Designers of the 20th century (2005–2007) Watched by Heaven, Tied to Earth: Summoning Animal Protection for Chinese Children (2006–2007) The Charm of Rococo: Femininity and Footwear of the 18th century (2006–2008) On Pointe: The Rise of the Ballet Shoe (2008-2009) Beauty, Identity, Pride: Native North American Footwear (2009) On a Pedestal: From Renaissance Chopines to Baroque Heels (2009–2010) Socks: Between You and Your Shoes (2010) Art in Shoes/Shoes in Art (2010) The Roaring 20's: Hemlines, Heels and High Hopes (2011) Roger Vivier: Process to Perfection (2012) Collected in the Field: Shoemaking Traditions from Around the World (2013) Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture (2013) Fashion Victims: The Pleasures and Perils of 19th Century Dress (2014) Standing Tall: The Curious History of Men in Heels (2015) Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes (2018) WANT: Desire, Design and Depression Era Footwear (2018) The Gold Standard: Glittering Footwear From Around the Globe (2021) Art & Innovation: Traditional Arctic Footwear from the Bata Shoe Museum Collection (2021) All Dolled Up: Fashioning Cultural Expectations (2022) The Great Divide: Footwear in the Age of Enlightenment (Currently on view) Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks (Currently on view) Obsessed: How Shoes Became Objects of Desire (Currently on view) Permanent collection , the museum's permanent collection includes over 13,000 shoes and related items dating back 4,500 years; providing the institution with the world's largest, and comprehensive collection of items entirely devoted to footwear, and shoes. The collection was initially intended to serve as a "working collection" for the Bata family, in which shoe making techniques could be learned. Techniques and designs from shoes collected were used to mimic traditional styles found in local markets. However, the scope was later expanded to be a historical and anthropological collection, when Sonja Bata began to collect shoes from local populations where Bata factories were displacing local footwear, in an attempt to preserve and document shoes that were being replaced. The museum presently acquires items for its collection through auction, donations from other collectors, field work, or private vendors. The museum acts to conserve but not restore shoes, preventing ongoing deterioration, but not