An assembly comprising a cylindrical superconducting magnet assembly supported by a support structure itself comprising at least one support element, the support structure being cradle shaped, wherein each support element comprises two outer partial cradle surfaces and one inner partial cradle surface joined by corresponding support struts (112a, 112b), wherein circumferential extremities of said outer partial cradle surfaces 16a subtend an angle β at the axis of the cylindrical superconducting magnet assembly, the angle β lying in the range 60°-180°, wherein inner support struts holding the inner partial cradle surfaces are relatively flexible in a vertical, radial, direction but relatively rigid in a horizontal, axial, direction, wherein outer support struts holding the outer partial cradle surfaces are relatively rigid in a vertical, substantially tangential, direction but relatively flexible in the horizontal, axial, direction, wherein, in response to a given force applied to a support strut (112a, 112b) in a direction in which it is relatively flexible, then a resultant displacement is greater by a factor x than a displacement resulting from application of the same given force to the same support in a direction in which it is relatively rigid, and wherein x is at least 2, such that vertical and horizontal loads are taken largely as shear forces by respective partial cradle surfaces (16a, 16b), which are substantially parallel to the direction of the respective load, such that vertical loads are taken in a direction substantially tangential to a cylindrical surface of the cylindrical superconducting magnet assembly, whereby vertical static loading is substantially taken by the outer partial cradle surfaces, the assembly further comprising a vacuum vessel in which the superconducting magnet assembly and the support structure are enclosed. wherein each support element comprises two outer partial cradle surfaces and one inner partial cradle surface joined by corresponding support struts (112a, 112b), wherein circumferential extremities of said outer partial cradle surfaces 16a subtend an angle β at the axis of the cylindrical superconducting magnet assembly, the angle β lying in the range 60°-180°, wherein inner support struts holding the inner partial cradle surfaces are relatively flexible in a vertical, radial, direction but relatively rigid in a horizontal, axial, direction, wherein outer support struts holding the outer partial cradle surfaces are relatively rigid in a vertical, substantially tangential, direction but relatively flexible in the horizontal, axial, direction, wherein, in response to a given force applied to a support strut (112a, 112b) in a direction in which it is relatively flexible, then a resultant displacement is greater by a factor x than a displacement resulting from application of the same given force to the same support in a direction in which it is relatively rigid, and wherein x is at least 2, such that vertical and horizontal loads are taken largely as shear forces by respective partial cradle surfaces (16a, 16b), which are substantially parallel to the direction of the respective load, such that vertical loads are taken in a direction substantially tangential to a cylindrical surface of the cylindrical superconducting magnet assembly, whereby vertical static loading is substantially taken by the outer partial cradle surfaces, the assembly further comprising a vacuum vessel in which the superconducting magnet assembly and the support structure are enclosed.