The TUSPM Shoe Museum contains 900 pairs of shoes, of which 250 are on display at any given time. And you thought your closet was bursting with shoes! This podiatry paradise is located in Philly, so it’s a bit of a hike from Atlanta. But if you keep your feet pristine with the help of American Foot and Leg Specialists, it should be no problem!

At the museum, you will learn all sorts of facts about shoes. For instance, did you know that platform shoes were originally worn in order to keep people from stepping in filth and water on the street? Think of that the next time that you slip on those designer platforms!

The collection includes shoes from celebrities like Joan Rivers, Sally Struthers, and the great songstress Ella Fitzgerald. Visitors to the museum will become educated on the tradition of foot binding, and most will leave the attraction grateful to have been born after the nineteenth century! To achieve the desired “Golden Lotus” shape and size, women had to endure an extraordinary amount of pain. The effect was debilitating, crippling the woman and advertising the fact that she would have to rely on others to support her. Foot Binding Survivors

The exhibit emphasizes the unique predicament of women and their footwear, highlighting the fact that women are more susceptible to sustaining shoe-related injuries. Indeed, even today they experience about four times the amount of foot-related problems, usually related to wearing high heels or other shoes that don’t properly support them.

Some of the other interesting footwear exhibits include: iron diving boots, a real giant’s shoe, Eskimo boots, Egyptian burial sandals, shoes from famous athletes, and a pair of painful French wooden shoes that are two centuries old. A trip to the TUSPM Shoe Museum will not be one that is easily forgotten.

Incredibly, admission to this unique museum is free, however, visitors must make an appointment. Contact curator Barbara Williams at 215-625-5243 or BWilliams@tuspm.temple.edu to schedule a visit. The museum is located at: 148 N. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

Whether you’re checking out a shoe museum or hoofing through the streets of Atlanta on a warm summer day, your feet may need more support than the drugstore insoles you recently purchased. At times like this, it’s important to remember that American Foot and Leg Specialists with four locations in Fayetteville, Stockbridge, Locust Grove and Forest Park,  is always available to take care of your personal podiatry needs.