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For some visitors, the gallery may stir up memories of getting measured for their very first pair of childhood footwear on a rather cold metal gauge. Some visitors, the cabinets of pristine Wallabees and Desert Boots may recall teenage obsessions with US hip-hop or Britpop movements.

Memories will also return vividly for numerous residents whose families made Clarks shoes for generations, as the box-fresh Footwear Heritage Center welcomes visitors in the English village of Street.

Nicky Dowding noted that some visitors may be surprised at how far this quintessentially UK label, which is celebrating its bicentennial anniversary in 2025, expanded across the globe. “In the UK, the company is often associated with children’s footwear, but among audiences across the world it’s viewed in distinctly unique ways,” she explained.

Dozens of examples of footwear are exhibited, with some showcases resembling bright, modern works of contemporary art. Dowding mentioned that a significant number were in storage: “Among the major jobs we’ve had while developing the exhibition is actually what do we put on display? Which stories do we want to share? Since there is an overwhelming amount.”

Enthusiasts of hip-hop and the TV series Breaking Bad are likely to hot-foot it to the displays of the iconic shoes, designed in the late 1960s, and modeled by the moccasin.

The Wallabee was initially considered too unconventional in the UK but turned out to be immensely successful in the US and was adopted by members of the NYC hip-hop band the renowned collective, who sported them, wrote about them, and featured them in art work.

In later years, Wallabees played a featured role in the opening scene of the series when the main character, the science instructor turned illicit drug manufacturer, wore a pair, together with comical white briefs.

Another key feature of the exhibit is its story of the Desert Boot, influenced by the journeys of a Clarks family member to Burma and India during the second world war. They grew into a staple of the mods in the UK and were also adopted enthusiastically by Liam and Noel Gallagher.

Clarks’ religious founders may have been surprised that their enterprise became such a favourite among stars.

The first display in the museum is a simple pair of house shoes made from offcuts of a woolen mat around the early 19th century. The museum describes how the company quickly expanded into one of the most important in the Southwest England, and how the founders did philanthropic deeds in Somerset and beyond.

Cato Pedder, chair of the trust that conserves and shares the brand story, explained the firm prospered because of its ethical foundations. “Among the core principles is honesty, and that means that you’re very honest in all your dealings,” she stated. “People trusted them. The family made some profit through the venture. This allowed them to become charitable and campaign for votes for women. They were active in the fight against enslavement in the United States.”

A business archivist said his favourite part of the new museum was a collection of machines from the Desert Boot manufacturing process, which was located at the Bushacre factory. The facility shut down a quarter of a century ago and the footwear are now produced in the far east.

He commented: “The majority of the people that operated on that production line did so for many years.” An employee was nicknamed after the ballet dancer because he worked so swiftly and efficiently between the two stations he operated. “The employees were so proficient at what they did.”

If the Wallabees and Desert Boots will attract music fans, detailed recreations of the brand’s retail stores will evoke memories for many more people.

The museum’s director observed: “In my view, people will be able to find themselves in the exhibit. Visitors will remember having their feet measured on the device so that their initial footwear were properly fitted. It was a ritual, a milestone.”

Among the displays includes her child’s first shoe, with a instant photo of her in the shop. “I treasure that,” Martin said. “It opens up a treasure trove of reminiscences.”