If your ancestor's boots walked their way into your possession, you'll want to learn steps for taking care of them. All the usual recommendations apply: Keep heirloom shoes out of the sun, away from bugs, protected from extreme heat or cold, and free of moisture.

You should always approach preservation projects case by case, especially when it comes to shoes, says Jean Druesedow, director of the fashion-focused Kent State University Museum. Footwear contains many layers of material, and possibly glue, nails or metallic threads. Late Victorian and Edwardian wedding slippers made of silk, for example, often fall apart because of the metallic salts, arsenic and other volatile chemicals used in silk production at the time.