diff --git a/frontend/app/explore/layout.tsx b/frontend/app/explore/layout.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..081f266
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/app/explore/layout.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import { PublicHeader } from "@/components/public-header";
+
+export default function ExploreLayout({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
+  return (
+    <div className="min-h-screen">
+      <PublicHeader />
+      <main className="mx-auto max-w-5xl px-4 py-8">{children}</main>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/app/explore/page.tsx b/frontend/app/explore/page.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53e53e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/app/explore/page.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"use client";
+
+import Link from "next/link";
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+
+import { api } from "@/lib/api/client";
+import type { components } from "@/lib/api/schema";
+import { Card, CardContent } from "@/components/ui/card";
+import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
+
+type Tree = components["schemas"]["PublicTreeRead"];
+
+// Public directory of trees. The backend returns `public` to everyone and adds
+// `site_members` trees when the request carries a valid session — so signed-in
+// users see more here without any client-side branching.
+export default function ExplorePage() {
+  const [trees, setTrees] = useState<Tree[]>([]);
+  const [search, setSearch] = useState("");
+  const [ready, setReady] = useState(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const q = search.trim();
+    const t = setTimeout(async () => {
+      const { data } = await api.GET("/api/v1/public/trees", {
+        params: { query: q ? { q } : {} },
+      });
+      setTrees(data ?? []);
+      setReady(true);
+    }, 200);
+    return () => clearTimeout(t);
+  }, [search]);
+
+  return (
+    <div className="space-y-6">
+      <div>
+        <h1 className="font-serif text-3xl font-semibold">Explore public trees</h1>
+        <p className="mt-1 text-[var(--muted)]">
+          Browse family trees shared on this site. Living people are always hidden.
+        </p>
+      </div>
+
+      <Input
+        className="w-72"
+        placeholder="Search trees by name…"
+        value={search}
+        onChange={(e) => setSearch(e.target.value)}
+      />
+
+      {!ready ? (
+        <p className="text-[var(--muted)]">Loading…</p>
+      ) : trees.length === 0 ? (
+        <p className="text-[var(--muted)]">No public trees{search.trim() ? " match that search" : " yet"}.</p>
+      ) : (
+        <ul className="grid gap-3 sm:grid-cols-2">
+          {trees.map((t) => (
+            <li key={t.id}>
+              <Link href={`/p/${t.id}`}>
+                <Card className="h-full transition-colors hover:border-bronze/50">
+                  <CardContent className="p-4">
+                    <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+                      <span className="truncate font-medium">{t.name}</span>
+                      <span className="shrink-0 text-xs uppercase tracking-wide text-[var(--muted)]">
+                        {t.visibility === "site_members" ? "Members" : "Public"}
+                      </span>
+                    </div>
+                    {t.description && (
+                      <p className="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-sm text-[var(--muted)]">{t.description}</p>
+                    )}
+                  </CardContent>
+                </Card>
+              </Link>
+            </li>
+          ))}
+        </ul>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/app/p/layout.tsx b/frontend/app/p/layout.tsx
index 571d26b..e03a460 100644
--- a/frontend/app/p/layout.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/p/layout.tsx
@@ -1,20 +1,10 @@
-import Link from "next/link";
+import { PublicHeader } from "@/components/public-header";
 
 // Public viewing surface — no auth, no app sidebar. A slim header only.
 export default function PublicLayout({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
   return (
     <div className="min-h-screen">
-      <header className="border-b border-[var(--border)]">
-        <div className="mx-auto flex max-w-5xl items-center justify-between px-4 py-3">
-          <Link href="/" aria-label="Provenance — home" className="flex items-center">
-            {/* eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element */}
-            <img src="/provenance-logo-plain.svg" alt="Provenance" className="h-6 w-auto" />
-          </Link>
-          <Link href="/login" className="text-sm text-bronze hover:underline">
-            Sign in
-          </Link>
-        </div>
-      </header>
+      <PublicHeader />
       <main className="mx-auto max-w-5xl px-4 py-8">{children}</main>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/frontend/components/app-sidebar.tsx b/frontend/components/app-sidebar.tsx
index aeb662a..2f4a96d 100644
--- a/frontend/components/app-sidebar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/components/app-sidebar.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   Archive,
   ArrowDownUp,
   BookText,
+  Compass,
   FolderTree,
   Image as ImageIcon,
   LogOut,
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ export function AppSidebar({ onNavigate }: { onNavigate?: () => void }) {
       </Link>
 
       <Item href="/trees" label="Trees" icon={FolderTree} active={pathname === "/trees"} />
+      <Item href="/explore" label="Explore" icon={Compass} active={pathname === "/explore"} />
       <Item href="/import" label="Import" icon={ArrowDownUp} active={pathname === "/import"} />
 
       {treeId && (
diff --git a/frontend/components/public-header.tsx b/frontend/components/public-header.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba8361b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/components/public-header.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import Link from "next/link";
+
+// Slim header for the public (no-auth) surface: /p/* and /explore.
+export function PublicHeader() {
+  return (
+    <header className="border-b border-[var(--border)]">
+      <div className="mx-auto flex max-w-5xl items-center justify-between px-4 py-3">
+        <Link href="/" aria-label="Provenance — home" className="flex items-center">
+          {/* eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element */}
+          <img src="/provenance-logo-plain.svg" alt="Provenance" className="h-6 w-auto" />
+        </Link>
+        <nav className="flex items-center gap-4 text-sm">
+          <Link href="/explore" className="text-[var(--muted)] hover:text-[var(--foreground)]">
+            Explore
+          </Link>
+          <Link href="/login" className="text-bronze hover:underline">
+            Sign in
+          </Link>
+        </nav>
+      </div>
+    </header>
+  );
+}