Museum Horní Slavkov

Museum Horní Slavkov is the municipal museum of Horní Slavkov, a small town in the Karlovy Vary Region on the edge of the Slavkov Forest (Slavkovský les). It occupies a historic Renaissance-style burgher house on Pluhova Street, right in the town centre, and offers a compact introduction to a region shaped for centuries by tin and tungsten mining and by a long tradition of porcelain making.

What will you see inside?

The permanent exhibition fills eight rooms and covers several connected themes. The mineralogy section displays minerals and rock samples tied to the geology of the Ore Mountains (Krušné hory) and the Slavkov Forest, an area long known for its deposits of tin, tungsten and kaolin. A separate section is dedicated to mining history, tracing how ore extraction shaped the town from medieval workings through to modern industrial mining.

Further rooms cover pewter craftsmanship and the local porcelain-making tradition. Horní Slavkov, formerly known by its German name Schlaggenwald, was home to one of the earliest porcelain manufactories in the Bohemian lands, and the museum displays pieces, tools and documentation connected to this trade, which defined the town's economy for generations.

The final part of the exhibition is devoted to the town's own history, including the difficult postwar period, when Horní Slavkov, like many towns in the Sudetenland, went through the expulsion of its German-speaking population, followed by depopulation and the decline of parts of its historic housing stock. The display explains how the town coped with these changes and how it was gradually rebuilt in the following decades.

A short history of the museum

The museum was established in 2001 as a branch of the Sokolov Museum, set up inside a restored Gothic-Renaissance burgher house. On 1 June 2012 it was transferred to the management of the Horní Slavkov Municipal Cultural Centre, becoming a standalone municipal institution closely tied to the local community and its heritage.

How to get there?

The museum sits in the heart of Horní Slavkov at Pluhova 211, within easy walking distance from anywhere in the small town. The nearest larger town is Sokolov, a short drive away along a local road. The surrounding Slavkov Forest is a popular area for hiking and cycling, so a museum visit pairs well with time spent exploring the countryside.

When is the best time to visit?

Given its compact scale, the museum works best as part of a longer stay in the Karlovy Vary region, combined with a trip through the Slavkov Forest or a visit to the nearby spa towns. Because it is a small municipal institution, it is worth checking current opening hours in advance, especially outside the main tourist season, as hours can be limited.

Frequently asked questions

What does Museum Horní Slavkov focus on? The museum covers the history of tin and tungsten mining, the local pewter and porcelain-making traditions, and the story of the town itself, including its postwar transformation.

Where exactly is the museum located? It is housed in a historic building at Pluhova 211, in the centre of Horní Slavkov, in the Karlovy Vary Region.

How many exhibition rooms does the museum have? The permanent exhibition spans eight themed rooms covering mineralogy, mining, pewter craftsmanship, porcelain and town history.

Can the visit be combined with other regional attractions? Yes — Horní Slavkov borders the Slavkov Forest, a popular hiking and cycling area, and the spa towns of the Karlovy Vary region are also within easy reach.