Shoe Museum "José María Amat Amer"

Museums

The “José María Amat Amer” Footwear Museum, located in the city of Elda (Alicante) Spain. It is one of the main museums in Europe related to the theme of footwear. Although it was established as such in 1992, its current facilities were inaugurated on February 4, 1999 by Elena de Borbón. It is located on the grounds of what was the International Footwear Fair, which was founded in 1992. The museum has significant support from the City Council. The Footwear Museum Foundation was established, which is governed by a Board of Trustees, chaired by the mayor of the city, and all the Institutions of the shoe sector are represented (the FICIA Foundation, FICE and INESCOP), the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Diputación de Alicante, companies that contribute funds for the purposes of the Foundation, and the founder of the museum, José María Amat Amer, who currently holds the title of honorary director of the Institution. The shoe museum is unique in its kind. Its importance lies in the fact that it includes the entire history of footwear, with a large number of samples of both footwear and machinery dedicated to its production process, but also of the auxiliary industry, highlighting a large section for the manufacture of the last. The Footwear Museum carries out activities aimed at promoting quality Spanish footwear, highlighting the "Best Shoe in Spain Award for Women" on women's shoes, which is awarded annually. Multiple itinerant exhibitions are also held with attendance at sector fairs.