Šoštanj was once the civic and economic centre of the Šalek Valley, especially because of the Šoštanj leather factory, which had been in operation for almost two centuries. The former factory premises are now the Museum of Leather Industry where you can learn about the history and life in the 19th and the 20th centuries, about different types of leather,  the shoe industry and the importance of the factory for the economic and social development of the Šalek Valley.