Mining Museum Krásno, Mining museum in Krásno, Czech Republic

The Mining Museum Krásno occupies the site of the former Vilém tin mine, protected as a cultural monument since 1995 and run as a branch of the Sokolov Museum. Exhibits stand outdoors and in the former engine room, the headframe and the transformer station, with a section on medieval mining techniques. The largest piece is a 54-tonne steam winding engine built in Prague in 1897.

The museum opened on 5 September 1998 on the site of the former Vilém tin mine, where mining stopped in 1991. Parts of the mine and its grounds were transferred to the Sokolov district museum, partly through efforts of the Příbram mining museum. The first exhibit, a steam winding engine, arrived in 1994.

The museum reflects how mining shaped the identity of this region and the role miners played in building the local community over many generations. Visitors can see how this work influenced daily life and the area's development.

The museum is typically accessible through guided tours where staff explain how machines work and extraction processes operated. It is best to visit in a group and inquire ahead, as opening times may be limited.

The largest exhibit is a 54-tonne steam winding engine built in Prague in 1897 by the Bohemisch-Mährische Maschinenfabrik, works number 872. It ran for 98 years at the Marie mine in Královské Poříčí before being moved here in 1994, and almost all its parts are original and still functional.