James Brown said: "I've had a lot of interest. More than I initially predicted. I'm quite happy."
Since opening in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, 12 months ago the independent museum has received international media coverage and visitors from across the country.
Mr Brown said he had been kept busy doing interviews with over 20 radio stations, from BBC Radio Nottingham to CBS in America.
His collection has featured in the Sunday Telegraph, The Daily Mail and Chat Magazine among other magazines.
The curator has welcomed BBC Children's TV cameras into his museum, which houses his private collection of over 100 classic and vintage models dating back to 1919. And one of Mr Brown's 1960s vacuum cleaners is to star in BBC period comedy drama Rock and Chips.
James said the extensive press had led to many kindred spirits visiting Eastwood, with families "making a day trip of it", parents having been persuaded by enthusiastic children. "Mainly it's been boys," he said. "Younger children have an attraction to machines, anything that moves.
"I've had a family from Hull, a family from Birmingham, a family from Sheffield, a family from Chesterfield..."
Mr Brown, 31, first became interested in vacuum cleaners himself at the age of four. He started his collection at the age of eight. But unlike many children James' passion has not waned and his private collection has continued to grow. He said having the museum has helped, with his favourite new addition being a Hoover 160."A woman was cleaning out her mum's loft and found it. She'd heard about my museum and wanted it to go somewhere where they wouldn't be got rid of. Her husband came all the way from down south to drop it in."I've had quite a few stories like that," he said.
James is still looking for several models to complete his collection. The avid collector said: "I want to complete a line-up of the main Electrolux models. The Z100 is one of the main Electroluxes I don't have."The Spinney 800 cylinder I used to have as a child."Then there's one or two other 80s machines like an Electrolux Elite," he added. The businessman, who originally received a grant from The Prince's Trust to set up his shop and museum, said he hopes to build on his early success in 2011.
Mr Vacuum Cleaner museum, 58 Nottingham Road, Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, is open from Monday to Saturday. Entry is free.
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