Ministry of Sound, British nightclub in London
Ministry of Sound is a nightclub in Elephant and Castle, London, operating continuously since 1991 and built specifically for electronic dance music. The venue spreads across multiple levels with four different rooms, including The Box as the main dance floor, The Club All Events 103 with an industrial bar, Baby Box as a small basement room, and The Loft on the mezzanine level.
The club opened in 1991 by founders who turned an old bus depot in South London into a dance venue after visiting New York, creating the first London club built specifically for house music. In 2013, a major renovation added a new courtyard, VIP area, and upgraded sound systems.
The name was chosen as a playful reference to government departments, but here it refers to a project devoted entirely to dance music. Many visitors come for the four separate rooms, each playing its own style of music and creating different moods for dancing.
The entrance is on Gaunt Street near Elephant and Castle station with connections to the London Underground, and doors open late evening on Friday and Saturday. The main rooms fill up after midnight, while the smaller areas stay busy throughout.
The main room has a sprung wooden floor that gives slightly when you dance, creating a particular physical sensation when moving to the music. The thick walls were built to absorb sound and provide exceptional clarity, making every beat easy to hear.
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