The Cloud is the rather apt location for the Science in the City event, being held in Auckland for the first time this Thursday.
It's being put on by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and chief executive John Morgan says it's an opportunity to demonstrate we're not just a city of sails but a strong science and technology base as well.
On show will be deep water research vessel Tangaroa, a drone-like plane called Tinkerbelle, tanks of hapuka bred in captivity, and creatures from the deep - as well speeches on the Hauraki Gulf, great white sharks and Antarctica.
Mr Morgan says New Zealand has the fourth largest ocean in the world and Tangaroa lets us make maximum use of it.
"It's very unusual for a small country like New Zealand to have a 3,000 tonne, 72m research vessel like Tangaroa. She's one of the highest resourced vessels in the world and New Zealand's largest scientific asset."
The ice-strengthened ship was built in 1992 and still retains some of her original crew. It's her job to search for minerals, maintain shipping lanes, carry out fish stock assessments and do surveys of the sea floor. She spends 300 days a year at sea and has recently undergone a $25m upgrade.
NIWA will also show off its 1m radio-controlled plane Tinkerbelle - with a high resolution camera that can take images in remote areas.
And for those interested in fish, tanks of hapuka bred in captivity will be on show. The agency has spent ten years acclimating the deep water fish and selecting brood stock to boost the aquaculture industry.
Mr Morgan says anyone who has anything to do with beach recreation, sailing or fishing will love the talk about the Hauraki Gulf (a new map showing the sea floor is being revealed). He says children will "be sitting with their mouth open" learing about great white sharks - their names, characters and where they go to in the Pacific.
Other exhibitors include AgResearch, Landcare Research, Auckland Museum and Hauraki Gulf Forum.
The Prime Minister's chief science advisor Professor Sir Peter Gluckman will give a speech at 5.30pm. He says an "innovation ecosystem" needs to be developed in Auckland for New Zealand to succeed with knowledge driven innovation.
"It is more than just a focus on physical infrastructure it needs a set of attitudinal changes in local and national government, the private sector and public science sector."
Mr Morgan says science is becoming "sexy" again.
"Kids are realising it's not just about learning the periodic table or standing in a lab... so many things we take for granted are a direct result of science."
He says the world has exhausted opportunities of borrowing money and will be constrained financially for a while yet: "the way to move forward is to be innovative."
"New Zealanders have traditionally presented themselves as 'number eight wire' but are far more sophisticated than that. We've made global contributions to the electricity industry, marine industry and health sector. We lead the world when it comes to managing natural resources and the environment."
WHAT Science in the City
WHERE The Cloud, Auckland Waterfront
WHEN Thursday April 12, 9am-8pm. (Tangaroa viewing at Queens Wharf until Saturday April 14.) Speeches: 10am Hauraki Gulf; 12pm Antarctica; 2.30pm great white sharks; 5.30pm Sir Peter Gluckman
HOW MUCH Free
WEB niwa.co.nz/events/science-in-the-city (there's also a colouring competition there)