The Magnus Institute Location, Layout, and Ancillary Characters: A Fic-Writer's Resource

Probable Geographic Location of the Institute

Westminster or Pimlico, on or near the riverbank. [added 5/30] Possibly quite close to the Tate Britain.

Sources and Evidence:

Characters that mention the location of the Institute are Antonio Blake (MAG011 "The Dreamer"), Sasha (MAG026 "A Distortion"), Martin (MAG040 "Human Remains"), and Anya Villette (MAG114 "Cracked Foundation").

• Blake says that he is pulled towards Vauxhall and the Thames. He calls it "a small building, standing along the other side of the bridge near the Embankment.” 
• Sasha says that the institute is in Chelsea, which contradicts most of the other statements.
• Martin says that the tunnels under the institute are part of the old Millbank Prison, which was located in Westminster.
• From Wikipedia: “Part of the perimeter ditch of the prison survives running between Cureton Street and John Islip Street. It is now used as a clothes-drying area for residents of Wilkie House. Archaeological investigations in the late 1990s and early 2000s on the sites of Chelsea College of Art and Design and Tate Britain recorded significant remains of the foundations of the external pentagon walls of the prison.”
• Anya mentions that she used to visit the Tate a lot when she lived in London, which would match up with Blake's and Martin's clues (assuming she meant the Tate Britain).
• [added 5/30] AO3 user Aza (sazandorable) mentioned in a comment that several of the TMA crew have said that the Institute is supposed to be very near the Tate Britain.

Exterior Appearance of the Institute

An old pillared building of 3+ floors, possibly more (see sources), "possessed of a quiet dignity," with a bronze plaque next to the door that reads: "The Magnus Institute, London. Founded 1818.” [MAG011]

Sources and Evidence:

• MAG039 "Infestation" references "the upper floor."
• MAG040 "Human Remains" references a basement and ground floor.
• MAG123 "Web Development" references "the researchers up on the 3rd floor." If Basira is using conventional British floor numbering, this would be 3 levels above the ground level (or the American "4th floor").

Interior Layout of the Institute

• Basement - Archive (confirmed), with tunnels below (confirmed)
• Ground floor - Reception area (confirmed), boiler room (confirmed)
• Upper floor - Elias's office (confirmed), possibly Artefact Storage?
• 3rd floor - Research dept (confirmed). Unclear if this is the same as the upper floor.
• Areas mentioned with unconfirmed locations: library, break room
• the library is not in the basement, as Basira refers to it as "up there" in MAG095.
• the break room is probably also not in the basement, as employees from other departments use it (in MAG102 Martin refers to Hannah from the library having "a thing with the milk in the break room")
• Artefact Storage has no windows, as Not!Sasha mentions having to leave the area to look out a window [MAG040].

Sources and Evidence:

• Elias’s office is on the "upper floor" and Sasha flees into Artefact Storage after they get separated by worms [MAG039].
• In MAG040, Elias says he hurries down to the ground floor and makes his way to the boiler room.
• Rosie calls up to Elias from reception in MAG082 (he refers to where she is as "down there").
• There is a reference to "researchers up on the 3rd floor" in MAG123.
• The Archive is located in the basement [MAG040].

Layout of the Archive

• A large open area (the main "Archive") with shelves and cabinets and a desk at the front. [MAG011]
• At least one "office," which could refer to any or all of the following:
• A room with where visitors write down their statements. There is a window that has a view of the Archivist, referenced by both Antonio Blake [MAG011] and Jane Prentiss [MAG032]. Unclear if the Archivist is sitting at the front desk in these statements or in their own office. [Added 5/30] Or possibly the statement-givers are sitting in the main Archive (like at a library table) and looking through the office window at the Archivist.
• An office where the Archivist (and later, Jon's assistants) record statements. Unclear if this is a general-purpose office or if the Archivist has a separate one; Sasha, Martin, and Tim refer to it as "the" office in MAG039-40.
• This is the room where Jon knocks a hole in the wall and the worms come out. Until then, it was thought to be an exterior wall.
• It contains a number of boxes and files not stored in the main archive.
• It is apparently large and/or crowded, as Martin is surprised twice while recording a statement, once by Basira and once by Tim.
• Jon's office, if he has a separate one. He refers to "his" office in MAG123 "Web Development."
• A storage room where Martin sleeps during the Jane Prentiss situation in S1. Also where Jon interrogates Jurgen Leitner (and where JL is killed by Elias).
• This room borders the same wall as the office referenced in MAG039, as Tim enters through the hole in the office and comes out here.
• It has a window in the door with a view of the main entrance, where the gang can see Jane Prentiss sneaking up on Tim in MAG039.
• This room is climate-controlled and soundproofed with a strong door. It also contains files not stored in the main archive [MAG039].
• There is no mobile reception [MAG039].
• A trapdoor in the main Archive that leads to the tunnels. It has a concealed handle with a lock underneath. There are steep stairs leading down [MAG040].
• A series of tunnels that run alongside and under the Archive.
• They are theorized to be part of the old Millbank Prison, designed by Robert Smirke [MAG040].
• They are maze-like and can shift to become either more logical or confusing, depending on various factors.
• The walls are made of grey stone, varying between rough-hewn texture and more regular brickwork.
• At least part of the tunnels are on the same level as the Archive (e.g. the place where Tim, Jon, and Martin entered them through the hole in the wall), but stairs are mentioned several times, both under the trapdoor and in other locations.
• Theoretical work areas for Martin, Tim, and Sasha (and later Basira, Melanie, and Daisy). Perhaps a shared bullpen area?
• [Added 5/30] With all the tea they make, I assume there must be some sort of mini-lounge/kitchenette with a kettle and sink at the very least.

Other random observations

• It’s unclear which statements merit storage in the storeroom or the office, as opposed to the main Archive. Maybe the "real" statements need extra protection?

• There is a "coffin room" stage direction in the unofficial transcript of MAG132.

Ancillary Staff

NB: I haven't been paying as much attention to this aspect of the show as the physical layout, but these are a few names I noticed. Feel free to leave a comment with others.

Sonja - Artefact Storage [MAG088]

Diana - Head Librarian [MAG063]

Hannah - Library. Recently had a baby. "She works in the library. Black, kind of stocky. Had that whole thing with the milk in the break room last year?" [MAG102]

Rosie - Reception and other administrative duties. Has her own Wikia page here.