A history of shoes…
For something a little different, the Bata Shoe Museum is a unique Toronto museum showcasing over 1,000 shoes and related artifacts from a collection of nearly 15,000 objects that span 4,500 years of history.
In a building that has won multiple awards for its architectural innovation, visitors can wander through four rotating exhibits on four floors.
Exhibits range from Chinese bound-foot shoes and ancient Egyptian sandals to chestnut-crushing clogs, glamorous platforms, an historical showcase of cowboy boots and the cultural history of sneakers.
Admission starting from £8.50 for adults.
Spud you like it
In O’Leary, Prince Edward is the Canadian Potato Museum, which bills itself as “a living testament to the humble tuber and those who have tilled the soil in its evolution”.
The facility houses the world’s largest exhibit of potato-related farm machinery, agricultural and community artifacts.
Guests can have their picture taken alongside the world’s largest potato sculpture!
Located just inside the museum, the PEI Potato Country Kitchen offers Island-inspired potato dishes, such as pan-fried Grilled Cheese made with potato bread, deep-fried potato skins topped with cheese, bacon, salsa and sour cream make it a combo with fresh-cut fries and Pulled Pork Poutine, that’s fresh cut fries with cheese curds and gravy and topped with our savoury pulled pork.
Fast fact: Potato farmers in the province grow about 100 different types of spuds.
Alberta site a nod to space invaders
In the town of St. Paul , Alberta, is the world’s first UFO Landing Pad.
There’s no evidence that aliens from another planet have ever spent time in the town but the landing pad was built in 1967 as part of the Canadian centennial celebration and still stands today as a “symbol of Canadian hospitality”, the town’s “open-mindedness” and “a desire for universal acceptance”.
Open from late May to early September, it has become a popular tourist attraction, even featuring its own visitor centre and UFO-themed gifts.
St. Paul, 200 km (120 mi) northeast of Edmonton, is a popular “road stop” for its boutique shops, featuring over 50 local artisans.
And also…
Others: The Gopher Hole Museum in Torrington, Alberta; the world’s largest beaver dam in British Columbia; the giant Pysanka Easter egg in Vegreville, Alberta; the Star Trek museum in Vulcan, Alberta; and the tunnels of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
