Sokolov was first mentioned in writing in 1279, when a circular fortress with a palace stood on the site of the present-day castle. The present-day castle dates from the 17th century and was renovated in the Classicism style in 1805. The castle became the seat of a museum in 1960, when the Museum of Mining Sokolov was located there. In 1982, it was transformed first into the city museum and then into the Sokolov District Museum with specialist departments and, since 1986, also with a new permanent exhibition.
Castle Sokolov
The exhibition underwent various modifications in the following years, the largest of which was started at the turn of 2012 - 2013, when it was expanded. The newly opened part presents the history of the Nostitz family, the owners of the castle from 1622 to 1945. The next two rooms are dedicated to the work of the painter David Friedmann, who worked in the Sokolov region from 1946 to 1947. Since 2014, the exhibition has been gradually modified, and should be completed in 2017. The museum also includes exhibition halls for organizing short-term exhibitions.