The Shoemakers Museum, a new museum showcasing 200 years of shoemaking history at footwear retail company Clarks, is set to open in Somerset, England.
Opening on 18 September, the Shoemakers Museum will explore the evolution of Clarks from a homegrown Quaker business into a global fashion brand as it celebrates 200 years.
Located in the Clarks Village retail outlet in Street, the museum will display hundreds of artefacts, from sheepskin slippers to desert boots, and from school shoes to Britpop stagewear.
Also on view will be original artwork, promotional films and prototypes, across four immersive galleries, and recreated 1950s and 1980s shops.
The Shoemakers Museum is located in a new building by Purcell Architecture that combines a 16th-century manor house, a 17th-century barn and a modern glass extension.
It includes a café, and a retail space selling exclusive merchandise. Additionally, it will host special events, educational programming, and group tours.
Rosie Martin, director of the Shoemakers Museum, said: “This is a museum about people – their craft, their community and the shoes that became part of life’s biggest milestones.
“Whether you remember your first Clarks or you’re discovering their story for the first time, we can’t wait to welcome you.”
Shoemakers Museum to launch in Somerset
The Shoemakers Museum project has been led by the Alfred Gillett Trust, a charity that preserves and shares Clarks’ history.
Cato Pedder, chair of the Alfred Gillett Trust, said: “The museum stands not just as a tribute to the Clark family legacy, but as a platform for future generations to explore creativity, community and cultural identity – through the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other.”
In more news for UK museums, the Brontë Parsonage Museum is expanding after acquiring a nearby cluster of historic buildings.
Images courtesy of the Shoemakers Museum
