107 NE Grand Ave · Portland
Stark’s Vacuum Museum
Free – inside our Portland store
About 25 vacuums from the 1800s to the 1960s. Open store hours.
Since 1932
“This is a great store with a super cool museum about vacuum cleaners.”
angeldad94 · Google review
What’s on the Vacuum Museum wall?
About 25 iconic vacuums, 1800s to 1960s.
They hang in order on one long wall, under a timeline. Tap a photo to see it up close.
The color years
1940s–1960s
The color years, as labeled on the wall: Regina Electrik Broom 1948, General Electric Roll Easy 1955, Revelation 1950–1955, Rexair Rainbow 1946, Electrolux LX 1952 and an orange Hoover Constellation.
Photo: Roadtrippers Magazine (cropped)
Hand power
1900–1920
The early years: hand-pumped cleaners and a carpet sweeper under the 1900–1920 timeline.
Photo: Atlas Obscura contributor
Premier Junior
1928
Cloth-bag uprights, as labeled on the wall: Premier Junior 1928, The Airway 1930 and Royal 1932.
Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)
Sturtevant
1921
A leather-strapped Sturtevant with brass hoses, labeled 1921.
Photo: Roadtrippers Magazine (cropped)
Rexair Rainbow
1946
Rexair Rainbow, labeled 1946. It caught dust in a basin of water instead of a bag.
Photo: Roadtrippers Magazine
Regina Electric Broom
1948
A Regina Electric Broom up close (photographed in the museum in 2016).
Photo: Local Adventurer
Western Electric
1917
An old museum tag with the maker, the date and an old photo: Western Electric, 1917.
Photo: Roadtrippers Magazine
Up close
2025
Taking a canister down for a closer look, filmed by Central Oregon Daily in 2025.
Photo: Central Oregon Daily News
Stark’s sign
Old store sign
An old Stark’s Vacuums script sign over more vintage machines, next to the wall.
Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Swipe for more →
See them up close. It’s free.
A vintage Electrolux: the nameplate up close, and the canister with its power nozzle and original booklet.
The history of vacuums, era by era
Walk the wall left to right and watch it change.
1860s–1910s
Pump it by hand
Bellows and hand pumps made the suction. Some took two people.
Regina ad, 1910
A 1910 ad for Regina pneumatic hand-pumped cleaners.
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
1908
Electric arrives
An Ohio janitor’s upright, built by the company that became Hoover.
Electric Suction Sweeper, about 1908
An Electric Suction Sweeper Co. upright, about 1908, from the company that became Hoover.
Photo: Daderot, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)
1920s
Cloth bags, door to door
Uprights with cloth bags, many sold at the front door.
On our wall: Premier Junior, The Airway
A 1928 ad for the Premier family of cleaners, including the Premier Junior.
Period magazine ad
1932: Clarence Stark opens Stark’s Vacuums in Portland. A panel from our own museum timeline.
Stark’s Vacuums
1940s
Brooms and water
Regina’s light Electrikbroom. Rexair caught dust in water.
On our wall: Rexair Rainbow, 1946
A 1947 ad for the Regina Electrikbroom.
Period magazine ad
1950s
Canisters in color
Chrome, turquoise and gold. GE’s Roll Easy rolled on its body.
On our wall: Electrolux LX, 1952
An Electrolux Model LX canister (1952–1955).
Photo: Lux1924, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
1950s–60s
The space age
Hoover’s round Constellation floated on its own air.
Hoover ad, 1956
A 1956 Hoover Constellation ad: “the cleaner that walks on air.”
Period magazine ad
Swipe through the years →
Today’s vacuums are lighter and quieter, with far better filters. Try them a few steps from the wall. Vacuum brands →
How has the museum changed?
From packed aisles to one long wall.
2013
Over 100 machines
The old entrance sign
2013: the old museum entrance sign, “over 100 antique vacuums on display.”
Photo: Andy E. Nystrom (Flickr)
2014
Rows by the windows
Tags on every machine
2014: rows of old uprights and canisters along the front windows.
Photo: CNN Travel
Today
One wall, in order
Renovated in 2017, beside today’s vacuums
Today: the renovated wall (2017) with its timeline, steps from the vacuums you can try.
Photo: Roadtrippers Magazine
Old ones on the wall. New ones to try.
How do I visit the Vacuum Museum?
Walk into our Portland store. That’s it.
Admit one
Stark’s Vacuum Museum
Portland · no ticket needed
Free
Where
107 NE Grand Ave, at NE Couch St, Portland OR 97232
When
Store hours: Mon–Sat 9–5, Sun 10–5
Cost
Free. No ticket, no tour times.
Call Portland
Bring
Your own vacuum, if it needs help. Free repair estimate while you look around.
Grab directions and stop by.
Look for the red neon sign
Has the Vacuum Museum been in the news?
Yes. Read or watch the stories:
- Travel Oregon
Attraction guide - CNN Travel
5 quirky things · 2014 - USA Today
Portland tips · archive - KATU
Museum visit · 2020 video - KATU
Bagged vacuums · 2020 - KATU
Store anniversary · 2022 - Central Oregon Daily
Museum tour · 2025 - Roadtrippers
Magazine story · 2021 - Atlas Obscura
Place listing - Roadside America
Attraction story
What visitors say
“…From the hand-pump model that took two people to operate to vacuums from the 60s that look more like rocket ships – check it out!”
★★★★ Boaz F. · Google review
“Just went for the museum. Nice interesting short stop.”
★★★★ Zanna R. · Google review
“This is a great store with a super cool museum about vacuum cleaners.”
★★★★★ angeldad94 · Google review
Good to know
Vacuum Museum questions
Yes. It’s free whenever the store is open. No ticket needed.
Inside Stark’s Portland store, 107 NE Grand Ave at NE Couch St, on the east side near the Burnside Bridge. Get directions
During store hours: Monday to Saturday 9 to 5, Sunday 10 to 5.
About 25 iconic vacuums, in order from the 1800s to the 1960s.
The oldest are hand-powered cleaners from the 1800s. The newest are 1960s canisters.
Yes. KATU’s AM Northwest has filmed it. CNN, USA Today, Travel Oregon and Central Oregon Daily have covered it too.
Yes. We repair all brands. Get a free estimate while you look around the museum. Vacuum repair
The museum is only in Portland. All five stores have vacuums to try, repair, bags and rentals. Our stores
Vacuum Museum: quick facts
Show the quick facts
| What | A wall of about 25 iconic vacuums with a timeline. |
|---|---|
| Years | 1800s to the 1960s. |
| Where | Inside Stark’s Portland store, 107 NE Grand Ave (at NE Couch St), Portland OR 97232. |
| Hours | Store hours: Mon–Sat 9–5, Sun 10–5. |
| Cost | Free. No ticket. |
| Phone | 503-232-4101 |
| Timeline | Added when the wall was renovated in 2017. |
| In the news | KATU AM Northwest, CNN, USA Today, Travel Oregon, Central Oregon Daily, Atlas Obscura. |
| While here | Free repair estimate, all brands. Vacuums to try. |
| Run by | Stark’s Vacuums, family-owned since 1932. |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Photo credits
- Hero, uprights and Stark’s sign photos: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: hero (cropped), uprights (cropped), sign.
- Color years, Sturtevant, Rexair, museum tag and today’s wall: Roadtrippers Magazine (permission requested).
- Hand power wall photo: Atlas Obscura contributor (permission requested).
- Regina Electric Broom: Local Adventurer (permission requested).
- Up close: Central Oregon Daily News (permission requested).
- 2013 entrance sign: Andy E. Nystrom, Flickr (permission requested).
- 2014 aisle: CNN Travel (permission requested).
- Electrolux LX: Lux1924, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
- 1908 Electric Suction Sweeper: Daderot, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). Regina 1910 ad: public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
- Premier (1928), Regina (1947) and Hoover Constellation (1956) ads: period magazine ads, scans from collectors’ listings. 1932 panel: Stark’s own museum timeline.
Areas We Serve
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Vacuum Repair and Sales, Portland to Bend.
Portland (NE Grand) Portland · Lake Oswego · Milwaukie · Oak Grove · St. Helens
Montavilla Gresham · Oregon City · West Linn · Happy Valley · Clackamas
Beaverton Beaverton · Hillsboro · Tigard · Aloha · McMinnville
Vancouver, WA Vancouver · Camas · Battle Ground · Washougal · Ridgefield
Bend Bend · Redmond · Prineville · Sisters · La Pine