  We analysed the planetary nebula Hen 2-260 using optical spectroscopy and
photometry. We compared our observations with the data from literature to
search for evolutionary changes. The nebular line fluxes were modelled with the
Cloudy photoionization code to derive the stellar and nebular parameters. The
planetary nebula shows a complex structure and possibly a bipolar outflow. The
nebula is relatively dense and young. The central star is just starting $\rm
O^+$ ionization ($\rm T_{eff} \approx 30,000 \, K$). Comparison of our
observations with literature data indicates a 50% increase of the [OIII] 5007
\AA\ line flux between 2001 and 2012. We interpret it as the result of the
progression of the ionization of $\rm O^{+}$. The central star evolves to
higher temperatures at a rate of $\rm 45 \pm 7\,K\, yr^{-1}$. The heating rate
is consistent with a final mass of $\rm 0.626 ^{+0.003}_{-0.005} \, M_{\odot}$
or $\rm 0.645 ^{+0.008}_{-0.008} \, M_{\odot}$ for two different sets of
post-AGB evolutionary tracks from literature. The photometric monitoring of Hen
2-260 revealed variations on a timescale of hours or days. The variability may
be caused by pulsations of the star. The temperature evolution of the central
star can be traced using spectroscopic observations of the surrounding
planetary nebula spanning a timescale of roughly a decade. This allows us to
precisely determine the stellar mass, since the pace of the temperature
evolution depends critically on the core mass. The kinematical age of the
nebula is consistent with the age obtained from the evolutionary track. The
final mass of the central star is close to the mass distribution peak for
central stars of planetary nebulae found in other studies. The object belongs
to a group of young central stars of planetary nebulae showing photometric
variability.
