Tradition with the Leather Smell
Leather craft was an important traditional craft during the centuries. This craft overgrew to the industrial level in the period of industrialisation and in the 20th century it became an important branch in the economy. Owing to the crises in the leather industry the majority of industrial leather plants decayed in the second half of the 20th century.
The beginning of The Museum
The Museum of the Leather Industry in Slovenia came into existence in Šoštanj owing to the need to preserve the exceptional cultural and technical heritage of the former Leather Factory Šoštanj. During the years the idea has overgrown the tendency to establish the museum in which the rich tradition of leather industry in Slovenia will be shown. The Museum was established on 12th November, 2009, in the rearranged rooms of the former factory bathroom by the Šoštanj Municipality.
The First Settled Collection
There is a collection The Leather Machines in the museum, which contains the most important machines and gadgets for the manufacture of skins into leather. The collection The Leather Industry in Šoštanj presents the development of the leather craft into the heavy industry and into the important economic branch that had an influence on the social and demographic development of inhabitants.