diff --git a/src/components/Editor.vue b/src/components/Editor.vue
index dfe4400..f0a428a 100644
--- a/src/components/Editor.vue
+++ b/src/components/Editor.vue
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import { useAutosave } from "@/composables/useAutosave"
 import { usePlayback } from "@/composables/usePlayback"
 import { parseModel, serializeModel } from "@/model/io"
 import { project } from "@/model/projection"
-import { type Sample, SAMPLES } from "@/model/samples"
+import type { Sample } from "@/model/samples"
 import { canConnect } from "@/model/validation"
 import { useModelStore } from "@/store/model"
 import { NODE_DND_MIME, type PlaceableKind } from "./palette-dnd"
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import Inspector from "./Inspector.vue"
 import LoopOverlay from "./LoopOverlay.vue"
 import Palette from "./Palette.vue"
 import ResultsPanel from "./ResultsPanel.vue"
+import SampleBrowser from "./SampleBrowser.vue"
 import InfoLinkEdge from "./edges/InfoLinkEdge.vue"
 import PipeEdge from "./edges/PipeEdge.vue"
 import CloudNode from "./nodes/CloudNode.vue"
@@ -55,6 +56,9 @@ const edges = computed(() => graph.value.edges)
 // the Model and recomputes reactively while open.
 const showResults = ref(false)
 
+// The sample-browser modal (opened from the header "Samples" button).
+const browserOpen = ref(false)
+
 // The playback clock that advances the playhead while a run is playing (mounted
 // once here; the simulation store holds the state it drives).
 usePlayback()
@@ -270,12 +274,12 @@ function onDragOver(event: DragEvent): void {
  */
 function loadSample(sample: Sample): void {
   if (store.nodeCount > 0 && !window.confirm(`Replace the current model with “${sample.title}”?`)) {
+    // Cancelled: leave the model untouched and the browser open to pick again.
     return
   }
   fitAfterInit = true
   store.setModel(sample.build())
-  // Close the DaisyUI dropdown (it stays open while the trigger keeps focus).
-  ;(document.activeElement as HTMLElement | null)?.blur()
+  browserOpen.value = false
 }
 
 const fileInput = useTemplateRef<HTMLInputElement>("fileInput")
@@ -397,20 +401,7 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => {
         {{ store.nodeCount }} {{ store.nodeCount === 1 ? "element" : "elements" }}
       </span>
       <div class="ml-auto flex items-center gap-1">
-        <div class="dropdown dropdown-end">
-          <button tabindex="0" class="btn btn-ghost btn-sm">Samples</button>
-          <ul
-            tabindex="0"
-            class="dropdown-content menu z-40 mt-1 max-h-80 w-72 flex-nowrap gap-1 overflow-y-auto rounded-box border border-base-300 bg-base-100 p-2 shadow-lg"
-          >
-            <li v-for="sample in SAMPLES" :key="sample.title">
-              <button class="flex flex-col items-start gap-0.5" @click="loadSample(sample)">
-                <span class="font-medium">{{ sample.title }}</span>
-                <span class="text-xs text-base-content/60">{{ sample.blurb }}</span>
-              </button>
-            </li>
-          </ul>
-        </div>
+        <button class="btn btn-ghost btn-sm" @click="browserOpen = true">Samples</button>
         <button
           class="btn btn-primary btn-sm"
           :class="{ 'btn-active': showResults }"
@@ -504,5 +495,7 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => {
          the canvas to the space above, where the diagram re-fits (see the
          `dimensions` watcher in <script>). -->
     <ResultsPanel v-if="showResults" @close="showResults = false" />
+
+    <SampleBrowser v-model:open="browserOpen" @select="loadSample" />
   </div>
 </template>
diff --git a/src/components/SampleBrowser.vue b/src/components/SampleBrowser.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e0e5221
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/SampleBrowser.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+<script setup lang="ts">
+/**
+ * Sample browser — a modal gallery of the curated example models, laid out as a
+ * card grid sectioned by pedagogical tier (Primer → … → Mechanics & capstone).
+ * As the gallery grows this beats the old narrow dropdown: the whole set stays
+ * scannable in one scroll and the tiers show how the samples relate.
+ *
+ * Presentational only — it never touches the Model store. Picking a card emits
+ * `select`; the Editor owns the confirm/replace/fit logic (one place for it).
+ * Built on the native <dialog> so Esc, the backdrop click and focus-trapping come
+ * for free; `open` drives showModal()/close() and the native close event keeps the
+ * parent's state in sync.
+ */
+import { computed, useTemplateRef, watch } from "vue"
+import { type Sample, SAMPLE_CATEGORIES, SAMPLES } from "@/model/samples"
+
+const props = defineProps<{ open: boolean }>()
+const emit = defineEmits<{ "update:open": [boolean]; select: [Sample] }>()
+
+const dialog = useTemplateRef<HTMLDialogElement>("dialog")
+
+// Mirror the `open` prop onto the native dialog (showModal gives us the focus trap
+// and inert backdrop a plain div can't).
+watch(
+  () => props.open,
+  (open) => {
+    const el = dialog.value
+    if (!el) return
+    if (open && !el.open) el.showModal()
+    else if (!open && el.open) el.close()
+  },
+)
+
+// Fired by Esc, the backdrop form, the ✕, or our own close() — fold them all into
+// one update:open so the parent's state can't drift from the dialog's.
+function onClose(): void {
+  if (props.open) emit("update:open", false)
+}
+
+// The categories in display order, each with its samples (SAMPLES is already in
+// pedagogical order, so first-appearance order is preserved). Empty tiers drop out.
+const sections = computed(() =>
+  SAMPLE_CATEGORIES.map((category) => ({
+    category,
+    samples: SAMPLES.filter((sample) => sample.category === category),
+  })).filter((section) => section.samples.length > 0),
+)
+</script>
+
+<template>
+  <dialog ref="dialog" class="modal" @close="onClose">
+    <div class="modal-box w-11/12 max-w-3xl">
+      <div class="mb-4 flex items-center gap-2">
+        <h3 class="text-base font-semibold">Browse samples</h3>
+        <span class="text-xs text-base-content/50">{{ SAMPLES.length }} models</span>
+        <form method="dialog" class="ml-auto">
+          <button class="btn btn-circle btn-ghost btn-sm" aria-label="Close">✕</button>
+        </form>
+      </div>
+
+      <section v-for="section in sections" :key="section.category" class="mb-5 last:mb-0">
+        <h4 class="mb-2 text-xs font-semibold tracking-wide text-base-content/50 uppercase">
+          {{ section.category }}
+        </h4>
+        <div class="grid grid-cols-1 gap-3 sm:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3">
+          <button
+            v-for="sample in section.samples"
+            :key="sample.title"
+            type="button"
+            class="flex flex-col gap-1 rounded-box border border-base-300 bg-base-100 p-3 text-left transition hover:border-primary hover:shadow-md"
+            @click="emit('select', sample)"
+          >
+            <span class="font-medium">{{ sample.title }}</span>
+            <span class="text-xs text-base-content/60">{{ sample.blurb }}</span>
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      </section>
+    </div>
+
+    <!-- Click outside the box to dismiss (submits the dialog → fires @close). -->
+    <form method="dialog" class="modal-backdrop">
+      <button aria-label="Close">close</button>
+    </form>
+  </dialog>
+</template>