A 20-foot inflatable sculpture of stiletto-clad legs greets visitors in the Art Deco lobby. Behind it, 36 pairs of shoes tell stories about politics, identity and design across the first half of the 20th century.

The Wolfsonian-FIU on Washington Avenue opened "Foot Notes: Shoes, Symbolism, and Society" on July 2, and the exhibit runs through February 28, 2027. Admission is free for all Florida residents.

Curator Danielle Charlap, who joined the museum in November 2025 in her first curatorial role there, said the show grew from a single strange object she found in the Wolfsonian's collection catalog: an X-ray shoe fluoroscope from the late 1940s, once used in shoe stores to check fit.

"We are not a fashion museum, but it turns out we had so many materials related to shoes," Charlap told WLRN. "It really just became a lens into the collection, and I remember in the beginning we were thinking, was there enough material? And it turns out there was way too much."

The exhibit spans propaganda, high fashion and pop culture. In the opening gallery, a hulking pair of German military overboots used by infantry in Russia during World War II anchors a display on footwear as political symbol, surrounded by wartime propaganda posters from the United States and Axis powers.

Two designer case studies follow. One highlights Beth Levine, known as "America's First Lady of Shoe Design," who popularized mules and reintroduced boots to 1960s fashion. The display includes the actual blueprint patterns with Nancy Sinatra's leg measurements for the boots she wore promoting "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" in 1966. The other showcases Salvatore Ferragamo's rainbow platform sandal, created for Judy Garland in 1938 and on loan from the Museo Ferragamo in Florence.

A gold Adidas sneaker designed by Jeremy Scott, on loan from the Miami Shoe Museum, sits in a section themed around Mercury and winged sandals. Nearby, visitors can examine the X-ray fluoroscope and a 1930s stocking finishing machine.

The lobby sculpture, "Della (Waiting)" by artist Ann Slavit, dates to 1978. Charlap said the piece had not been displayed publicly for about 40 years before this exhibit.

Charlap, who holds a PhD in art history from the University of Southern California, previously worked at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York.

How to visit

The Wolfsonian-FIU is at 1001 Washington Ave., at the corner of 10th Street and Washington Avenue in the Art Deco Historic District. Hours are Wednesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The museum is closed Monday and Tuesday.

Admission is free for Florida residents, Wolfsonian members, State University System of Florida staff, students with ID and children under 6. Non-resident adults pay $12; seniors, students and children 6 to 18 pay $8. Every Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., admission is free for everyone.

Upcoming events

Thursday, July 16 — Miami Beach Culture Crawl: Sneaker Charm Bar, 6 to 9 p.m. at The Wolfsonian-FIU. Free guided tours of current exhibitions. Details at wolfsonian.org.

Saturday, July 18 — Community Family Day: Art in Harmony, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum (10975 SW 17th St., Miami). Co-hosted by The Wolfsonian-FIU and the Frost Art Museum. Free; features artist-led workshops, interactive storytelling and a musical performance by Mr. Jams.