The castle in Velenje is one of the best preserved castles in Slovenia. It was first mentioned in historical records in 1270. Its first owners and constructors were the “Gospodje Kunšperški”, who were followed by their relatives the “Gospodje Ptujski”, then it was owned by the Liechtenberg family. After that it frequently changed ownership. In the 16th century, the Wagen von Wagensberg family completely renovated the building, transforming it from a half-fortress into a Renaissance residence.
More notable owners include Karl and Bianca Adamovich at the end of the 19th century. The last owner of the castle, Count Coronnini-Kromberg, only used it as a summer residence until 1943, when following the capitulation of Italy, the Germans drove him out of Velenje.
After the Second World War, the castle was nationalised. Apartments were arranged inside it, much of the furniture was destroyed, and the building was threatened with ruin.
When the new town of Velenje was being constructed, they founded the Museum of Slovenian Coalmines in 1957, with the intention of preserving cultural heritage. Due to the expansion of its collections, it was later renamed Velenje Museum. Its base became Velenje Castle, which was in a poor state as a result of the war. That is why it was necessary to first of all renovate the castle, and this process lasted until the 1990s.
The first proper collection in the museum was the Collection of Slovenian Coal Mines. This collection was joined by a collection of the remains of a mastodon which were found in Škale and a very significant collection of African art by František Foit. Nowadays, Velenje Museum hosts eleven different museum and gallery collections, while Velenje Castle is also home to many different social and cultural events.