Hoover Historical Center

If your vacuum has ever led you to renewed love for a once-dirty carpet or dazzled you with its sheer sucking power, stop by the Hoover Historical Center and pay homage to this often overlooked household appliance.

A visit to the boyhood home of William H. "Boss" Hoover, founder of the famous company, provides visitors with a peek into Hoover vacuum technology. The permanent display includes antique cleaning devices and manual cleaners from the late 1800s as well as the first Hoover ever made (in 1908, in case you're wondering).

Bring the kids along, too, as the Hoover museum prides itself on its interactive exhibits. Push a button to hear "All The Dirt, All The Grit," the company's theme song of the 1920s and '30s, and rock back and forth on a platform to activate the 1910 Kotten suction cleaner. 1875 Easton St. NW, North Canton, OH 44720, tel. 330/499-0287. Free. Tuesday-Sunday 1-5, free tours hourly. www.hoover.com