Geek Chic in Cambridge
Hologram at the MIT Museum
photo uploaded by kun0me
For the inner geek who loves the periodic table and deciphering the minds of robots, here’s a guide to sites in Cambridge that you’ll love.
Known around the world as a hot-spot for the budding scientific and mathematical minds of the world, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a great spot to exercise your brain. Check out the MIT Museum, home of the world’s largest exhibit of holograms and the world’s first sociable robot, Kismet. Learn how MIT has gained their indisputable reputation for ingenuity through the museum’s historical exhibits as well as modern interactive ones. A new three-million-dollar renovation entitled the Mark Epstein Innovation Gallery has just opened.
Take home some books to brush up on all of your newfound knowledge at Quantum Books, an independent specialty technical bookstore in the heart of Kendall Square. From mathematics to software programming, this store has all your geek-reads covered.
The Kendall Square MBTA stop is even interactive! When you’re in the station, be sure to check out The Kendall Band, created in 1987 by Paul Matisse. The band members (Kepler, Pythagoras, and Galileo) are named after Johannes Kepler, Pythagoras, and Galileo Gallilei. Kepler is comprised of a 125-pound metal ring whose hammer strikes an F-sharp and Gallileo is a sheet of metal that, when shaken, sounds like thunder. Pythagoras, the last of the three, is a series of metal tubes tuned to B-minor that when struck with a mallet that slowly builds momentum, they fill the station with lush musical sounds.
To quench those grumbling bellies, hang out with MIT students and professors alike at the Miracle of Science Bar & Grill. With a giant periodic table on the wall serving as the menu, you can have a laugh while ordering a jalepeno burger or a chicken quesadilla. Their roasted potatoes with tomato chutney are especially delicious as their signature substitute for fries. They also offer free wi-fi and lab stools to take a seat at the bar while you surf the ‘net.
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