Leather Industry Museum in Šoštanj

The Leather Industry Museum of Slovenia in Šoštanj is built on the rich tradition of leather-making, which began in this town as early as 1788. The founders, the Vošnjak family, started their leather-making journey in Slovenj Gradec back in the 16th century, then moved the activity to the market town of Vitanje and finally to Šoštanj in 1750. From its founding onwards, two important workshops developed here, which in the 19th century, under the favourable conditions of trade freedom after 1860, were transformed into two larger factories: K. K. priv. Lederwerke Franz Woschnagg & Söhne and the Ivan Vošnjak Leather Factory.

After the two factories merged, the company became one of the largest in the monarchy and later in Yugoslavia. After the Second World War, the factory passed into state ownership and continued operating as Tovarna usnja Šoštanj (Šoštanj Leather Factory). Due to economic conditions, however, in 1999, after more than two centuries of operation, the factory closed its doors.

In cooperation with the Technical Museum of Slovenia, the first phase of the Leather Industry Museum of Slovenia was opened in 2009, and today it operates under the auspices of the Velenje Museum. The museum is a unique institution that collects, documents and presents the leather-making heritage in the territory of Slovenia.

The museum premises include the former workers' bathhouse, the pavilion section, depot areas and a car park. At the museum's opening, permanent exhibitions were also put on display... More at the link...

Source: Velenje Museum