The Weitzman Shoe Museum

The Weitzman Shoe Museum, a permanent gallery at The New York Historical (formerly the New-York Historical Society) on Central Park West, grew out of a major gift from renowned shoe designer Stuart Weitzman and his wife, philanthropist Jane Gershon Weitzman. The collection spans historical everyday shoes, Weitzman's own celebrated designs, and the whimsical "fantasy shoes" that Jane Gershon Weitzman commissioned from artists for display in his store windows. Curated by Jeanne Gutierrez and Keren Ben-Horin, the museum frames footwear as more than fashion — it's a lens on consumption, celebrity culture, and the rise and fall of American industry. The museum builds on the success of an earlier temporary exhibition, "Walk This Way," which first introduced the Weitzman collection to the institution. The current, expanded presentation reframes footwear as a cultural storyteller, showing how shoes have both shaped and been shaped by American identity — pairing everyday historical shoes with dazzling contemporary pieces, including preserved suffragette footwear tied to the fight for women's right to vote. Visitors can also join curator talks and gallery tours on-site, and the museum sits on the first floor at 170 Central Park West, open with regular museum admission.