The Shoe Museum at TUSPM reopened on July 22 and is now available to the public! The museum was created during the nation's bicentennial in 1976 as an added attraction for visitors to the Liberty Bell and Independence Park, which are only two blocks from the college. A group of volunteers sought additions to the collection, and the Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia placed the Dr. H. Augustus Wilson Shoe Collection on extended loan at the museum.
The Shoe Museum Spotlight for the next year features a pair of space boots from the Apollo Mission to the Moon, which celebrated its 50th anniversary during the month of July. The exhibit will be in the lobby of TUSPM for the next year. Dr. Andrew Meyr, the curator of the Shoe Museum, said that this exhibit is currently his favorite on display.
Dr. Meyr and staff have been working diligently to create new and exciting exhibits for the museum, which is housed on the 6th floor of TUSPM. A few of them include an exhibit on the anatomy of shoes and the process of production, a locker room exhibit featuring the shoes of Temple University athletes, a “Shoes in the Arts,” as well as “Shoe Curios,” which highlights weird shoes!
There is a tour brochure for visitors interested in touring the exhibits, which include directions for the QR code scanner and a brief summary of each of the exhibits.
The new exhibits include:
Shoes in Space
Mummer Shoes
The Anatomy and Physiology of Shoes
Shoes that Serve
The Locker Room
Shoe Curios
Shoes in the Arts
A History of Podiatric Medical Education in Philadelphia
Toddler Shoes
The Wedding March
A Shoe for Every Style
Shoes of the World
Visitors will be required to sign in and out of the building, and the self-guided tour should last about one hour. Please email Dr. Andrew Meyr to schedule a tour in advance at ajmeyr@temple.edu or call Mary Kate Rauchut at 215-625-5249 or email Mary.rauchut@temple.edu.
Tour times are limited.
Please come and visit the new TUSPM Shoe museum!