Institute for Figuring (CLOSED)

Dedicated to "the poetic and aesthetic dimensions of science, mathematics and engineering," the Institute for Figuring's accessible approach to complex scientific and mathematical theories has won its director Margaret Werthelm a spot in the TED pantheon as well as a cast of fascinating collaborators (from the Andy Warhol Museum to the National Smithsonian). There's a changing main exhibition—examining everything from snowflakes to the Higgs Boson—and three interactive Project Rooms that invite visitors to literally play with ideas. You don’t need to understand physics to be charmed!