Florida Atlantic University gives Boca Raton a younger, less resort-like side. The campus is not an architectural pilgrimage, but it hosts lectures, sports, theatre, and occasional public events that can make the city feel less sealed off behind gates and hedges.
Visitors are most likely to come for a game, a performance, or a university event. Check schedules rather than wandering in blindly; the campus is large and functional, and it rewards a specific reason to be there.