Schoenenmuseum SONS

About the museum

The museum SONS, short for “Shoes Or No Shoes?”, came about from two collections that were given a home together thanks to patron Dirk Vanderschueren. The first is the modern art collection of Veerle Swenters and Pierre Bogaerts. Through the shoe trade they came into contact with the art world, wrote to more than a thousand artists, and spontaneously received shoes back that the makers had transformed into artworks. That is where the name “Shoes Or No Shoes?” comes from.

The second collection is the ethnographic collection of William (Boy) Habraken. He was born in Eindhoven at the end of the Second World War, visited more than 150 countries on his travels and collected shoes that belong to traditional costume, together with information on materials, making techniques and use. Together the two collections contain more than 1,300 artists' shoes and more than 2,700 pairs of ethnographic shoes.

The building originally dates from 1973 and was designed by Emile Veranneman and architect Christiaan Vander Plaetse. For SONS it was completely reworked by designer Lode Uytterschaut, who clad it in lead so that the building forms a solid, monumental whole whose colour changes with the sunlight and the time. The presentation deliberately resembles a warehouse so that visitors can discover the collection freely. The museum also shows the exhibition series Shoes Selection and organises a sneaker design competition.

Highlights

• Shoes as art: work by more than 1,300 contemporary artists
• According to the museum, the largest ethnographic shoe collection in the world, with more than 2,700 pairs
• Building from 1973, fully clad in lead to a design by Lode Uytterschaut
• Self-guided visit with extra explanation via a QR code on your smartphone
• Open on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons; booking requested

Permanent exhibitions

• Collectie moderne kunst – Shoes that more than 1,300 contemporary artists have transformed into artworks, collected by Veerle Swenters and Pierre Bogaerts.
• Etnografische collectie – More than 2,700 pairs of shoes that belong to traditional costume from all over the world, collected by William (Boy) Habraken.

Founded

2009

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

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Kids & families

There are separate children's rates for nursery school children and primary school pupils.

Getting there & parking

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Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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