11.04.2026
On Wednesday, 1 April, the Thomas Bata Foundation unveiled the renovated study of the founder of the global shoe empire at Bata Villa in Zlín. After 28 years, it has undergone a well-deserved renovation, Jakub Malovaný, the project manager at the Foundation, told reporters.
Bata’s personal belongings are now on display, along with information about his business ventures. The unveiling of the study following its renovation was part of the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of Tomas Bata’s birth.
“People will see interesting items here, including things Tomas Bata used to carry with him or wear, such as his personal ring or a tie clip. We also have his travel documents here. There are even fragments from the plane in which he lost his life in July 1932. They are just fragments, but they managed to reach Marie Bata at the time and, through family members in Toronto, returned to us years later,” said Malovaný.
Also new are informational panels about the professional careers of Bata and his son, Thomas Bata Jr. There is also a list of manufacturing sectors and a list of factories. “Tomas Bata’s team from 1929, when the Bata company was at its peak, is also featured here. We have all the key collaborators who stood by Tomas Bata’s side, and without them, there would not have been such a great Tomas Bata,” said Malovaný.
Bata’s study is considered the most precious room on the villa’s original period floor. Visitors can tour it during guided tours. In the future, a space may be added to highlight the story and achievements of Thomas Bata Jr. and Marie Bata.
On Wednesday, the Foundation organized a celebration marking the 150th anniversary of Bata’s birth. In the morning, gatherings took place at the statue of Tomas Bata in Otrokovice and at his grave in the Forest Cemetery in Zlín. The Tomas Bata Memorial opened a new exhibition, and the Zlín City Theatre organized the unveiling of a statue of Tomas Bata. His birthplace stood on the site where the theatre now stands.
The Foundation is planning events throughout the year; a conference will be held in Prague in mid-April, and another in Zlín in September. A lecture tour titled “The Philosophy of Tomas Bata and Its Application in Contemporary Practice” has already begun. A city module measuring 6.15 by 6.15 meters - a typical Bata dimension - will also travel to various cities. “Just as Bata exported entire factories, we will, at least within Czechoslovakia, take a piece of his philosophy and history to various cities. People will be able to visit a place where they can learn about Bata,” said Gabriela Končitíková, the director of the Foundation. An exhibition titled “The Footsteps of Tomas Bata,” co-authored by Jaromír 99, is also in the works, as well as the launch of new books.
