Muir Island

Muir Island is a small, remote island north of Scotland and hosts the world's largest mutant research complex, the Mutant Research Center, founded by Dr. Moira MacTaggert and Professor Charles Xavier in 1964. Many significant gains have been made in the fields of biology, biochemistry, genetics, and even thermodynamics due to the diversity of expression of the X-gene in individual mutants.

Being just north of Cape Wrath and only 500 miles south of the Arctic Circle, Muir Island lies outside the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom and any other government. While senior researcher Dr. MacTaggert is a staunch bioethicist, some of her research may be borderline illegal according to certain jurisprudence. Nevertheless, there has never been a safer hideaway for mutants in need of specialized treatment or prolonged study in order to control their abilities. The main facility is equipped with state of the art scientific instrumentation that has been updated over the years with recovered alien technology. A small, unincorporated township exists nearby for extended guests and families who do not wish to live within the facility itself, but it remains largely uninhabited.

It is not uncommon for Professor Xavier's globe-spanning philanthropy network to rescue children from exploitative powers or hapless social services throughout the world and remand them to the caring and supportive environment of Muir Island's Mutant Research Center. Two notable cases overlapped when Professor Xavier's illegitimate son, David Haller, AKA Legion, who was kept at Muir Island briefly lost control of his vast powers due to his clinical schizophrenia. He was eventually subdued by the First Class yet ultimately fled into parts unknown. Current Alternate Class member Connor Bruin, AKA Caveman, was physically present for the event but remained in hiding for the duration.