diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/direct_messages.html b/bookwyrm/templates/direct_messages.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6a20b111
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/direct_messages.html
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+{% extends 'layout.html' %}
+{% block content %}
+
+<div class="block">
+    <h1 class="title">Direct Messages</h1>
+
+    {% if not activities %}
+    <p>You have no messages right now.</p>
+    {% endif %}
+    {% for activity in activities %}
+    <div class="block">
+    {% include 'snippets/status.html' with status=activity %}
+    </div>
+    {% endfor %}
+
+    <nav class="pagination" role="navigation" aria-label="pagination">
+        {% if prev %}
+        <p class="pagination-previous">
+            <a href="{{ prev }}">
+                <span class="icon icon-arrow-left"></span>
+                Previous
+            </a>
+        </p>
+        {% endif %}
+
+        {% if next %}
+        <p class="pagination-next">
+            <a href="{{ next }}">
+                Next
+                <span class="icon icon-arrow-right"></span>
+            </a>
+        </p>
+        {% endif %}
+    </nav>
+</div>
+
+{% endblock %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/layout.html b/bookwyrm/templates/layout.html
index bcbdca2a..ab113ad0 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/layout.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/layout.html
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@
                     {% include 'snippets/username.html' with user=request.user %}
                 </p></div>
                 <div class="navbar-dropdown">
+                    <a href="/direct-messages" class="navbar-item">
+                        Direct messages
+                    </a>
                     <a href="/user/{{request.user.localname}}" class="navbar-item">
                         Profile
                     </a>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index a9792038..3cbb7510 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ urlpatterns = [
 
     path('', views.home),
     re_path(r'^(?P<tab>home|local|federated)/?$', views.home_tab),
-    re_path(r'^notifications/?', views.notifications_page),
+    re_path(r'^notifications/?$', views.notifications_page),
+    re_path(r'^direct-messages/?$', views.direct_messages_page),
     re_path(r'^import/?$', views.import_page),
     re_path(r'^import-status/(\d+)/?$', views.import_status),
     re_path(r'^user-edit/?$', views.edit_profile_page),
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views.py b/bookwyrm/views.py
index 562f575e..f32638d4 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views.py
@@ -113,11 +113,36 @@ def get_suggested_books(user, max_books=5):
     return suggested_books
 
 
+@login_required
+@require_GET
+def direct_messages_page(request, page=1):
+    ''' like a feed but for dms only '''
+    activities = get_activity_feed(request.user, 'direct')
+    paginated = Paginator(activities, PAGE_LENGTH)
+    activity_page = paginated.page(page)
+
+    prev_page = next_page = None
+    if activity_page.has_next():
+        next_page = '/direct-message/?page=%d#feed' % \
+                activity_page.next_page_number()
+    if activity_page.has_previous():
+        prev_page = '/direct-messages/?page=%d#feed' % \
+                activity_page.previous_page_number()
+    data = {
+        'title': 'Direct Messages',
+        'user': request.user,
+        'activities': activity_page.object_list,
+        'next': next_page,
+        'prev': prev_page,
+    }
+    return TemplateResponse(request, 'direct_messages.html', data)
+
+
 def get_activity_feed(user, filter_level, model=models.Status):
     ''' get a filtered queryset of statuses '''
-    # status updates for your follow network
     if user.is_anonymous:
         user = None
+
     if user:
         following = models.User.objects.filter(
             Q(followers=user) | Q(id=user.id)
@@ -135,6 +160,16 @@ def get_activity_feed(user, filter_level, model=models.Status):
         '-published_date'
     )
 
+    if filter_level == 'direct':
+        return activities.filter(
+            Q(user=user) | Q(mention_users=user),
+            privacy='direct'
+        )
+
+    # never show DMs in the regular feed
+    activities = activities.filter(~Q(privacy='direct'))
+
+
     if hasattr(activities, 'select_subclasses'):
         activities = activities.select_subclasses()