When I first heard about a “Shoe Museum” in small-town Italy, I wasn’t exactly brimming with enthusiasm. “But it has a fascinating collection of women’s footwear from the 1940s to the present day!” argued its proponents. I politely replied with an “Oh, cool. But I’m not really sure that’s my thing.” Guys and girls, sometimes in life you have to admit that your prejudices were wrong.

The Museo della Calzatura (Shoe Museum) in Stra — a small town about halfway between Venice and Padova — is enthralling. It’s a museum for people who love shoes, people who hate shoes and people who have no strong opinion on shoes. The 1400 footwear models on display are astonishing works of art, running the gamut from achingly beautiful to utterly bonkers.