Walk This Way: Footwear from the Stuart Weitzman Collection of Historic Shoes
June 26, 2021 to October 10, 2021
"Nimble and often glittering, the show encapsulates the evolution of women’s shoes over the past 180 years—and also speaks to the history of shoemaking in America. It is a delight at every turn..." - Wall Street Journal
Organized and first presented by the New-York Historical Society, Walk This Way: Footwear from the Stuart Weitzman Collection of Historic Shoes highlights more than 100 pairs of shoes from iconic designer Stuart Weitzman's extensive private collection, assembled over three decades with his wife Jane Gershon Weitzman.
Explore how shoes have transcended their utilitarian purpose to become representations of culture—coveted as objects of desire, designed with artistic consideration, and expressing complicated meanings of femininity, power, and aspiration for women and men alike.
Walk This Way considers the story of the shoe from the perspectives of collection, consumption, presentation, design, and production. It reveals larger trends in American economic history, from industrialization to the rise of consumer culture, with a focus on women’s contributions as producers, consumers, designers, and entrepreneurs.
As Stuart Weitzman himself expresses in the exhibition catalogue, shoes “tell an almost infinite number of stories. Stories of conformity and independence, culture and class, politics and performance.”
Hours and Admission
June 26-October 10, 2021
Monday-Sunday
10:00 AM-4:00 PM
$12 Adult, $7 Youth (ages 5-17)
Free Children (ages 4 and under)
Free Members
Admission includes viewing the exhibition, mansion, and gardens.
Join as a Member and receive free admission to the Walk This Way exhibition and to the Paine mansion and gardens for a year! You may join as a Member at the same time as you make a reservation for Walk This Way.
The Paine requests that all visitors wear face masks when touring inside the mansion.
Reservations are recommended.
Make Reservation
Star-Studded Soles: Autographed Shoes Courtesy of Britton’s Walk-Over Footwear
Presented in the Paine's Gothic Gallery, this exhibition of autographed celebrity shoes complements the Walk This Way exhibition on view in the Main Gallery and Salon Gallery. From rugged athletic shoes signed by Green Bay Packer players to glamorous stilettos designed by Stuart Weitzman and worn by Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez, this fun collection captures our fascination with footwear, fashion, and fame.
The Curious Case of the Missing Left Shoes
Two dozen shoes in a variety of styles, colors, and sizes have appeared on the Studio stage at the Paine. Curiously, they’re all right shoes. Why are they there? And, where are the matching left shoes? Come and search for the missing shoes throughout the mansion and gardens. Along the way, you’ll learn the story behind the shoes and help to solve the mystery.
Free Admission for Members
Admission to Walk This Way is free for Members! Plus, Members receive free admission to the Paine mansion, gardens, and exhibitions for a year! Members also receive free admission for self-guided tours of Nutcracker in the Castle during the holiday season! You may join as a Member at the same time as you make an online reservation for Walk This Way.
Free Audio Tour of the Exhibition
Hear Stuart Weitzman discuss the power of shoes. Download the new Paine Tours app to your smartphone in the app store. Select the Walk This Way tour, and the ten-stop tour will guide you through the shoes exhibition with insights and anecdotes by Mr. Weitzman himself. Search for "Paine Tours" in the Apple App Store or Google Play store to find the app.
Parking
The Paine Art Center and Gardens is located at 1410 Algoma Boulevard in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Visitors may park in a parking lot on Algoma Boulevard located next to the Paine mansion, which offers accessible parking spaces and a drop off area near the entrance gate. Visitors may also park along the street on Algoma Boulevard and Congress Avenue. An overflow parking lot is available on Elmwood Avenue.
More to See and Do
Make the most of your visit to Oshkosh by enjoying other attractions as well as restaurants and shops in the city. Plan an overnight stay in one of Oshkosh's hotels and enjoy the community's vibrant evening events and nightlife. Learn more at visitoshkosh.com.
Walk This Way was named one of 12 exhibitions "not to miss" this summer in Wisconsin. Learn more about the other exhibitions at travelmag.com.
Exhibition support provided by the Parsley-Kreilein BRAVO Fund as part of the National Philanthropic Trust.
Educational programs sponsored by Rhyme.
