Far from the stuffiness of the MFA, the Institute of Contemporary Arts has no permanent collection and showcases fresh international contemporary art -- usually work with a strong conceptual or contextual basis. The shows are often retrospectives of a single artist's work. Favorite past exhibit: Cildo Mireiles from Brazil. A renovated firehouse with three-floors of gallery space, the ICA is relatively small. Depending on the exhibit plan an hour or two. It holds just the right amount of work. Plans are in the making for a new building. Thursday evenings are free, and students always get a good discount on admission. A back-door theatre offers great foreign and art films on a weekly basis.