An apparatus, comprising: a cryostat containing a volume of cryogenic fluid; one or more electrically superconducting coils disposed within the cryostat, wherein the one or more electrically superconducting coils is configured to produce a magnetic field when an electrical current is passed therethrough; one or more high temperature superconducting, hereinafter HTS, current leads permanently disposed within the cryostat and coupled to the one or more electrically superconducting coils; one or more sensors positioned at or near the one or more HTS current leads and configured to monitor the status of the HTS current leads; a HTS protection switch for protecting the one or more HTS current leads, selectively coupled to the one or more HTS current leads; a magnet controller configured to control the HTS protection switch; wherein the magnet controller is configured to control the HTS protection switch to divert current from the one or more HTS current leads upon detection via the sensors of a quench of the one or more HTS current leads;wherein the apparatus further comprises: latching mechanical switches installed inside the cryostat between the one or more HTS current leads and external current terminals and configured to electrically couple the one or more HTS current leads to one or more devices disposed outside the cryostat; and wherein the latching mechanical switches have an open state and a closed state, and are configured to switch between the open and closed state or vice versa in response to an electrical pulse. a cryostat containing a volume of cryogenic fluid; one or more electrically superconducting coils disposed within the cryostat, wherein the one or more electrically superconducting coils is configured to produce a magnetic field when an electrical current is passed therethrough; one or more high temperature superconducting, hereinafter HTS, current leads permanently disposed within the cryostat and coupled to the one or more electrically superconducting coils; one or more sensors positioned at or near the one or more HTS current leads and configured to monitor the status of the HTS current leads; a HTS protection switch for protecting the one or more HTS current leads, selectively coupled to the one or more HTS current leads; a magnet controller configured to control the HTS protection switch; wherein the magnet controller is configured to control the HTS protection switch to divert current from the one or more HTS current leads upon detection via the sensors of a quench of the one or more HTS current leads;wherein the apparatus further comprises: latching mechanical switches installed inside the cryostat between the one or more HTS current leads and external current terminals and configured to electrically couple the one or more HTS current leads to one or more devices disposed outside the cryostat; and wherein the latching mechanical switches have an open state and a closed state, and are configured to switch between the open and closed state or vice versa in response to an electrical pulse. latching mechanical switches installed inside the cryostat between the one or more HTS current leads and external current terminals and configured to electrically couple the one or more HTS current leads to one or more devices disposed outside the cryostat; and wherein the latching mechanical switches have an open state and a closed state, and are configured to switch between the open and closed state or vice versa in response to an electrical pulse.