The Vacuum Cleaner Museum

These machines have been collecting dust for decades

Category Unique Collections, Inspired Inventions, Electrical Oddities

Image of The Vacuum Cleaner Museum located in | Oldest Vacuum in collection the "Busy Bee" was operated by husband and wife.

Oldest Vacuum in collection the "Busy Bee" was operated by husband and wife.

Image of The Vacuum Cleaner Museum located in | Oldest Vacuum in collection the "Busy Bee" was operated by husband and wife. Image of The Vacuum Cleaner Museum located in | Giant Canister Vacs "The Va Cuna" Image of The Vacuum Cleaner Museum located in | An old upright Image of The Vacuum Cleaner Museum located in | Dust Busters Image of The Vacuum Cleaner Museum located in | Grand Rapids roller Image of The Vacuum Cleaner Museum located in | lunchbox vac Image of The Vacuum Cleaner Museum located in | Starks Exterior
Unique Collections http://atlasobscura.com/category/museums-and-collections/unique-collections Inspired Inventions http://atlasobscura.com/category/inspired-inventions Electrical Oddities http://atlasobscura.com/category/inspired-inventions/electrical-oddities

Tucked away in a not-so-dusty corner of Stark's Vacuum Cleaner Sales & Service in downtown Portland is a collection that would make any prop master, house wife, or history buff slobber with excitement. Stark's is home to a small but very comprehensive Vacuum Cleaner Museum. The walls of the rear showroom are lined with over 300 different models of vacuums, from their oldest - a two-person hand-pumped wood and steel number - to "futuristic" dustbusters from the 1960s, and even a few upright wands that look like they were meant to smoke out bees, not suck up dirt.

The collection has been slowly building over the years. Many of the early inductees were traded in or donated. Once the popularity of the museum spread, later units arrived in droves from sentimental owners.

Exquisite machines of wood, steel, and plastic, all having dutifully served their masters, are here immortalized for their ingenuity - a quality that future generations of vacuum cleaners must aspire to.

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  • Hours Mon-Fri 8am-7pm, Sat 9am-4pm
  • Website www.starks.com
  • Address 107 NE Grand Ave., Portland, Oregon, United States
  • Cost Free
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A short walk from public transportation, an easy drive or cycle from most locations in Portland.

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Comments

  • & Anonymous March 25, 2011
    I have an old western auto wizard starlight canister vacuum cleaner that is the best and works great. Do you know of a modern bag that will fit it. I can't get rid of it for a new one since I am poor and this is the best-nice size, plenty of power , american made.-yes, american made. I refuse to get any foreign junk. This has been working perhaps for forty years. Thanks, Jim
  • & Anonymous September 8, 2010
    Do you buy old old vacuums for your museum? I have a couple of old pump vacuums, Rexair Models A, B, & C, plus some Eureka uprights made before the brush roller was invented. All are in very good condition.