Clarks opens museum dedicated to shoemaking

The museum combines a 16th century manor house, a 17th century barn and a modern glass extension to house four permanent galleries.

As British footwear manufacturer Clarks celebrates its 200th anniversary, the company has officially opened its new Shoemakers Museum to help visitors reconnect with what is described as ‘the stories beneath their feet and the shoes that carried them through life’.

The establishment is said to combine immersive galleries, social history and original artefacts to chart the global impact of footwear production in the small Somerset village of Street. According to Clarks, the Shoemakers Museum is more than just about shoes. Rather, it is highlighted as a story about people – the makers, designers, wearers and communities who built a global business from a small Quaker village. The museum is said to offer a ‘deeply personal and tactile’ experience of British life, ‘blending high street nostalgia with global style and local pride’.

Visitors will step into atmospheric gallery spaces, explore recreated 1950s and 1980s shops, see the foot gauges that measured generations of growing feet and hear the voices of former Clarks workers sharing their memories from the factory floor.

Set within a striking new building, the Shoemakers Museum combines a 16th century manor house, a 17th century barn and a modern glass extension to house four permanent galleries. Original artwork, prototypes, promotional films and rarely seen archive material have been collected together to bring the Clarks story to life.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 3 of the October 2025 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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