Kendall Square: Do

The Garment District
A source of second-hand and vintage threads for cash-strapped students and rockers since the 1980s, Garment District shares its crumbling warehouse premises with Boston Costume—the perfect combination if you’re off to a theme party. On the ground floor is the fabled Dollar-a-Pound—literally a pile of clothes, shoes, belts, bags and assorted junk dumped in a pile on the floor. It’s a rummager’s dream, but due to inflation, you’ll actually pay $1.50 a pound. Head upstairs for a vast array of second-hand jeans, branded clothing, shoes and vintage attire, dating from the ‘50s to today. 200 Broadway (617-876-5230, garmentdistrict.com)

Kendall Square Cinema
The Kendall Square Cinema is a good place to see first-run independent films and blockbusters alike. The space boasts a snack bar stocking gourmet goodies and a knowledgeable staff. Purists wouldn’t call it an independent flickhouse—it’s owned by Landmark Theatres, who wrangle 54 cinemas nationwide—but the high-concentration of arthouse, documentary and foreign offerings that pepper its nine screens (plus fests like the BUFF), make it an honorary member of the indie elite. 1 Kendall Square (617-499-1996, landmarktheatres.com)

MIT Media Lab
MIT’s Media Lab has always been the university’s most visually arresting department, especially since the lab unveiled its sleek new home in 2009. The futuristic, airy building was designed by renowned Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, featuring windows and glass galore. Ride the glass elevators to catch a glimpse into the building’s transparent workspaces, or wander the main floor to check out the latest art-meets-robotics goodies on public display. The forward-thinking Media Lab is all about a creative, open-ended approach toward creating future technology, and Maki’s building reflects this spirit. 75 Amherst St (617-253-5960, media.mit.edu)

MIT Press Bookstore
MIT’s publishing stamp has been putting out books on topics brainy and diverse since the 1920s, garnering enough interest to have its very own storefront. The small but carefully curated shop devotes about half of its shelves to MIT Press stuff and the rest to like-minded books. You’ll find lots of science and math tomes here, of course, as well as books on architecture, politics, economics, design, comics, philosophy and just about any other smart-guy specialty subject you can imagine. 292 Main St (617-253-5249, web.mit.edu/bookstore/www)

Stata Center
Designed by the legendary Frank Gehry, MIT's Ray and Maria Stata Center has become one of Cambridge's most iconic buildings. The architecture both inside and out is unparalleled for its sheer tilting, multicolored strangeness. The main floor houses a public area with a cafe and spaces that host everything from farmers markets to job fairs. Most of the building is home to MIT's world-renowned Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. It’s worth a visit to check out the building’s stunning, singular architecture, both inside and out. 32 Vassar St (csail.mit.edu)