Skip to main content
DJ Mag Top100 Clubs
24
Ministry Of Sound
5

Location: London, UK

Capacity: 1,555

Website: ministryofsound.com

Ministry Of Sound is still one of the most famous nightclubs in the world. Opened in 1991 to primarily showcase American house music, it was one of the first clubs to bring cats such as David Morales, Roger Sanchez and Tony Humphries over to the UK before expanding its remit as the ‘90s unfolded.

As such, the amazing soundsystem in The Box has hosted the best in trance, techno, house, drum & bass, UK garage and more, while the rigorously-sourced compilations it has produced have landed in every city on the globe.

There was a time when its success earned Ministry somewhat of a backlash, with more discerning clubbers complaining that it was ‘full of tourists’, but events in recent times prove it’s undeniably got its mojo back: the legendary DJ Harvey on a Dolby Atmos soundsystem all night long; the He.She.They night helmed by Maya Jane Coles that promotes diversity and inclusivity regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation; the on-point Very Very Wrong Indeed nights; providing a home for long-standing promotions like The Gallery (celebrating its 23rd birthday this month) and Bugged Out! to newer nights like the Defected-affiliated Glitterbox.

Saved from closure a few years ago, Ministry still proudly occupies the same premises in Elephant & Castle in southeast London (an old bus depot) that it has since the beginning, and is still an amazing place to have a full-blown clubbing experience.