A magnet assembly for use in carrying out nuclear magnetic resonance
experiments on a body or sample. The assembly comprises a set of
superconducting coils within a cryostat, located about a bore, and
arranged to generate a substantially uniform magnetic field in a primary
working volume within the bore, and to generate a substantially uniform
magnetic field in a secondary working volume within the coil structure
and separate from the bore. At least part of a hyperpolarisation system
intersects the at least one secondary working volume so as to hold a
sample to be hyperpolarised in the secondary working volume.