The museum is located in the area of the Vilém tin mine, built during World War I. At that time, the lack of raw materials led to the renewal of mining activities in the Slavkovský Forest area. After the war, however, decline set in again and the Vilém mine was closed in 1921. The beginning of the modern history of the entire Krásno deposit is dated by a new generous opening started in 1955. Until 1970, ore from the Schnödov Pně was mined to the surface through the Vilém pit, from 1971 mining was transferred to the new main Huber pit.
Mining Museum Krásno
In 1991, mining was terminated and in the following years the Sokolov Museum managed to acquire the buildings on the site and build a mining museum there. The first exhibition opened in 1998 in the building of the former tin ore sorting plant, where a steam mining engine from 1897 was located. Today, the history of ore and coal mining in the region, the history of the town of Krásno and the partner municipality of Bischofsgrün are also presented here. In 2004, the neighboring area was also opened, dominated by examples of locomotives and wagons with a gauge of 450 and 600 mm (used underground in the Slavkov mining area) and a gauge of 900 mm (used in surface brown coal quarries). Furthermore, you can visit a model gallery, an exhibition of mining transport, an exhibition of mining rescue services, an exhibition of villages that disappeared due to mining activities, and also take a walk along an educational and entertaining environmental trail. From May to October, you can try a ride on a mine train.
Photo 1: A mining steam engine from 1897
Photo 2: A mining train is a popular attraction
Photo 3: A model of a medieval mine