Labor Day Weekend is a fitting time to pause at the Lowell National Historical Park in Lowell, Mass., where American industry and its workforce are saluted.

The park's illustrated pages chronicle the technological innovations that channeled the energy of the Merrimack River to thrust Lowell's 1700s cottage industry into a thriving textile mills operation in the 19^th century and a major industrial presence in the early 20^th century.

Immigrant workers toiling long hours in Lowell's mills spawned America's urban working class.

The awesome power looms that hummed in a 1920s weave room are seen in The Boott Cotton Mills Museum .

The national park, where hands-on programs acquaint adults and kids with the roots of the American industrial revolution, offers Pawtucket Canal tours.

The American Textile History Museum in Lowell is among the 29 brief descriptions of nationwide Working-Class and Labor Museums compiled by the Center for Working-Class Studies .

The American Labor Museum in Haledon, N.J., where silk workers staged a strike in 1913; the Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Ala.; the Eckley Miners' Village in Hazelhon, Penn.; the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich.; the Labor Hall of Fame in Washington, D.C.; and the Pullman Village railroad car industrial site in Pullman, Ill., are just a few of those noted .

The History of Labor Day traces the tribute to American workers since the holiday's introduction on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City.

If the very word "work" is making you sick, a sure tonic is the charming manner in which theWeb Site of Venice presents its prize. The rather plain main page is a deceptive introduction to colorful links to history and architecture. Avoiding the wordy narrative of other resources, the Venice Web site's illustratedHistory and Curiosity clicks from the Piazza San Marco to the Basilica, the Palazzo Ducale, the Clock Tower and Bridge of Sights with ease. Be sure to reveal each and every one of theVenetian Boats and discover their diversity of design. The main page's Other Venetian Sites showcase artistGualtieri's Riva del Vin. I cherish a similar oil painting bought from a street artist on an impromptu trip to Venice in October a few years ago.

Venice in the fall is heaven. So, if you're tired of the grind . . . think about it. Especially if you're over 40, says Europe for Visitor's Durant Imboden. "With more than a third of its residents over the age of 60, Venice is a town that makes balding, bulging Boomers feel young again. This is your kind of city .a middle-age spread where even a contemporary of The Mamas and the Papas can dream of being a courtesan or gigolo," Imboden maintains.

Venice for Visitors is a thorough directory of links to restaurants, accommodations and events.

Its Venice Photos is a dazzling stream of virtual images. Of particular interest is theCities for People photojournalism approach to Venice as a prototype for tomorrow's "Car-Free Cities."

Venice City Map and Hotel Locator has photos and thumbnail descriptions of the cities three most famous hotels --the Cipriani, the Gritti Palace and the Danieli.