diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backend_tools.py b/lib/matplotlib/backend_tools.py
index 9c9249da8fb8..a884cc838860 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backend_tools.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backend_tools.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
     `matplotlib.backend_managers.ToolManager`
 """
 
+import re
 import time
 import warnings
 from weakref import WeakKeyDictionary
@@ -403,7 +404,7 @@ def trigger(self, sender, event, data=None):
 class ToolEnableAllNavigation(ToolBase):
     """Tool to enable all axes for toolmanager interaction"""
 
-    description = 'Enables all axes toolmanager'
+    description = 'Enable all axes toolmanager'
     default_keymap = rcParams['keymap.all_axes']
 
     def trigger(self, sender, event, data=None):
@@ -419,7 +420,7 @@ def trigger(self, sender, event, data=None):
 class ToolEnableNavigation(ToolBase):
     """Tool to enable a specific axes for toolmanager interaction"""
 
-    description = 'Enables one axes toolmanager'
+    description = 'Enable one axes toolmanager'
     default_keymap = (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
 
     def trigger(self, sender, event, data=None):
@@ -470,7 +471,7 @@ def _get_uniform_grid_state(ticks):
 class ToolGrid(_ToolGridBase):
     """Tool to toggle the major grids of the figure"""
 
-    description = 'Toogle major grids'
+    description = 'Toggle major grids'
     default_keymap = rcParams['keymap.grid']
 
     def _get_next_grid_states(self, ax):
@@ -491,7 +492,7 @@ def _get_next_grid_states(self, ax):
 class ToolMinorGrid(_ToolGridBase):
     """Tool to toggle the major and minor grids of the figure"""
 
-    description = 'Toogle major and minor grids'
+    description = 'Toggle major and minor grids'
     default_keymap = rcParams['keymap.grid_minor']
 
     def _get_next_grid_states(self, ax):
@@ -511,7 +512,7 @@ def _get_next_grid_states(self, ax):
 class ToolFullScreen(ToolToggleBase):
     """Tool to toggle full screen"""
 
-    description = 'Toogle Fullscreen mode'
+    description = 'Toggle fullscreen mode'
     default_keymap = rcParams['keymap.fullscreen']
 
     def enable(self, event):
@@ -541,7 +542,7 @@ def disable(self, event):
 class ToolYScale(AxisScaleBase):
     """Tool to toggle between linear and logarithmic scales on the Y axis"""
 
-    description = 'Toogle Scale Y axis'
+    description = 'Toggle scale Y axis'
     default_keymap = rcParams['keymap.yscale']
 
     def set_scale(self, ax, scale):
@@ -551,7 +552,7 @@ def set_scale(self, ax, scale):
 class ToolXScale(AxisScaleBase):
     """Tool to toggle between linear and logarithmic scales on the X axis"""
 
-    description = 'Toogle Scale X axis'
+    description = 'Toggle scale X axis'
     default_keymap = rcParams['keymap.xscale']
 
     def set_scale(self, ax, scale):
@@ -1020,6 +1021,48 @@ def _mouse_move(self, event):
         self.toolmanager.canvas.draw_idle()
 
 
+class ToolHelpBase(ToolBase):
+    description = 'Print tool list, shortcuts and description'
+    default_keymap = rcParams['keymap.help']
+    image = 'help.png'
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def format_shortcut(key_sequence):
+        """
+        Converts a shortcut string from the notation used in rc config to the
+        standard notation for displaying shortcuts, e.g. 'ctrl+a' -> 'Ctrl+A'.
+        """
+        return (key_sequence if len(key_sequence) == 1 else
+                re.sub(r"\+[A-Z]", r"+Shift\g<0>", key_sequence).title())
+
+    def _format_tool_keymap(self, name):
+        keymaps = self.toolmanager.get_tool_keymap(name)
+        return ", ".join(self.format_shortcut(keymap) for keymap in keymaps)
+
+    def _get_help_text(self):
+        entries = []
+        for name, tool in sorted(self.toolmanager.tools.items()):
+            if not tool.description:
+                continue
+            entries.append(
+                "{}: {}\n\t{}".format(
+                    name, self._format_tool_keymap(name), tool.description))
+        return "\n".join(entries)
+
+    def _get_help_html(self):
+        fmt = "<tr><td>{}</td><td>{}</td><td>{}</td></tr>"
+        rows = [fmt.format(
+            "<b>Action</b>", "<b>Shortcuts</b>", "<b>Description</b>")]
+        for name, tool in sorted(self.toolmanager.tools.items()):
+            if not tool.description:
+                continue
+            rows.append(fmt.format(
+                name, self._format_tool_keymap(name), tool.description))
+        return ("<style>td {padding: 0px 4px}</style>"
+                "<table><thead>" + rows[0] + "</thead>"
+                "<tbody>".join(rows[1:]) + "</tbody></table>")
+
+
 default_tools = {'home': ToolHome, 'back': ToolBack, 'forward': ToolForward,
                  'zoom': ToolZoom, 'pan': ToolPan,
                  'subplots': 'ToolConfigureSubplots',
@@ -1037,12 +1080,13 @@ def _mouse_move(self, event):
                  _views_positions: ToolViewsPositions,
                  'cursor': 'ToolSetCursor',
                  'rubberband': 'ToolRubberband',
+                 'help': 'ToolHelp',
                  }
 """Default tools"""
 
 default_toolbar_tools = [['navigation', ['home', 'back', 'forward']],
                          ['zoompan', ['pan', 'zoom', 'subplots']],
-                         ['io', ['save']]]
+                         ['io', ['save', 'help']]]
 """Default tools in the toolbar"""
 
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py
index fe0d393aa82b..164077cdc713 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/_backend_tk.py
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import six
-from six.moves import tkinter as Tk
 
 import math
 import logging
 import os.path
 import sys
+import tkinter as Tk
+from tkinter.simpledialog import SimpleDialog
 
 import numpy as np
 
@@ -963,10 +964,18 @@ def destroy(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.window = None
 
 
+class HelpTk(backend_tools.ToolHelpBase):
+    def trigger(self, *args):
+        dialog = SimpleDialog(
+            self.figure.canvas._tkcanvas, self._get_help_text(), ["OK"])
+        dialog.done = lambda num: dialog.frame.master.withdraw()
+
+
 backend_tools.ToolSaveFigure = SaveFigureTk
 backend_tools.ToolConfigureSubplots = ConfigureSubplotsTk
 backend_tools.ToolSetCursor = SetCursorTk
 backend_tools.ToolRubberband = RubberbandTk
+backend_tools.ToolHelp = HelpTk
 Toolbar = ToolbarTk
 
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
index a73cca9ff1b9..5ed0a8db2d3d 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
@@ -846,6 +846,16 @@ def trigger(self, sender, event, data=None):
         self.window.present()
 
 
+class HelpGTK3(backend_tools.ToolHelpBase):
+    def trigger(self, *args):
+        dialog = Gtk.MessageDialog(
+            self._figure.canvas.get_toplevel(),
+            0, Gtk.MessageType.INFO, Gtk.ButtonsType.OK, self._get_help_text(),
+            title="Help")
+        dialog.run()
+        dialog.destroy()
+
+
 # Define the file to use as the GTk icon
 if sys.platform == 'win32':
     icon_filename = 'matplotlib.png'
@@ -877,6 +887,7 @@ def error_msg_gtk(msg, parent=None):
 backend_tools.ToolConfigureSubplots = ConfigureSubplotsGTK3
 backend_tools.ToolSetCursor = SetCursorGTK3
 backend_tools.ToolRubberband = RubberbandGTK3
+backend_tools.ToolHelp = HelpGTK3
 
 Toolbar = ToolbarGTK3
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py
index 0a0bf22e0291..5b94fd19d84b 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py
@@ -1064,10 +1064,16 @@ def remove_rubberband(self):
         self.canvas.drawRectangle(None)
 
 
+class HelpQt(backend_tools.ToolHelpBase):
+    def trigger(self, *args):
+        QtWidgets.QMessageBox.information(None, "Help", self._get_help_html())
+
+
 backend_tools.ToolSaveFigure = SaveFigureQt
 backend_tools.ToolConfigureSubplots = ConfigureSubplotsQt
 backend_tools.ToolSetCursor = SetCursorQt
 backend_tools.ToolRubberband = RubberbandQt
+backend_tools.ToolHelp = HelpQt
 
 
 def error_msg_qt(msg, parent=None):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.pdf b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.pdf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..38178d05b272
Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.pdf differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.png b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a52fbbe819e2
Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.png differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.ppm b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.ppm
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..aed6f506df4d
Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.ppm differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.svg b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.svg
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..484bdbcbf659
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="no"?>
+<!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN"
+  "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd">
+<!-- Created with matplotlib (http://matplotlib.org/) -->
+<svg height="72pt" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 72 72" width="72pt" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
+ <defs>
+  <style type="text/css">
+*{stroke-linecap:butt;stroke-linejoin:round;}
+  </style>
+ </defs>
+ <g id="figure_1">
+  <g id="patch_1">
+   <path d="M 0 72 
+L 72 72 
+L 72 0 
+L 0 0 
+z
+" style="fill:none;opacity:0;"/>
+  </g>
+  <g id="text_1">
+   <path d="M 43.283438 55.959375 
+C 43.283438 55.12 42.603437 54.44 41.764063 54.44 
+L 32.658437 54.44 
+C 31.829687 54.44 31.139063 55.12 31.139063 55.959375 
+L 31.139063 65.065 
+C 31.139063 65.904375 31.829687 66.584375 32.658437 66.584375 
+L 41.764063 66.584375 
+C 42.603437 66.584375 43.283438 65.904375 43.283438 65.065 
+z
+M 55.279063 33.19 
+C 55.279063 24.49875 46.173438 18.0175 38.045313 18.0175 
+C 30.310312 18.0175 24.540937 21.31125 20.439687 28.11125 
+C 20.025312 28.79125 20.174062 29.62 20.822187 30.119375 
+L 27.048437 34.858125 
+C 27.345937 35.049375 27.654062 35.16625 27.994062 35.16625 
+C 28.408437 35.16625 28.865313 34.9325 29.173437 34.560625 
+C 31.404688 31.745 32.318438 30.841875 33.232187 30.19375 
+C 34.060937 29.62 35.622812 29.08875 37.333438 29.08875 
+C 40.404062 29.08875 43.177188 30.990625 43.177188 33.115625 
+C 43.177188 35.54875 41.955313 36.791875 39.033438 38.12 
+C 35.697187 39.639375 31.139063 43.591875 31.139063 48.181875 
+L 31.139063 49.8925 
+C 31.139063 50.72125 31.670313 52.0175 32.509687 52.0175 
+L 41.615313 52.0175 
+C 42.486563 52.0175 43.134687 51.029375 43.134687 50.19 
+C 43.134687 49.095625 44.537188 46.47125 46.779063 45.185625 
+C 50.380938 43.166875 55.279063 40.404375 55.279063 33.19 
+z
+"/>
+  </g>
+ </g>
+</svg>
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help_large.png b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help_large.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3f3d4dfed7e9
Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help_large.png differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help_large.ppm b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help_large.ppm
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4cf30807b0a1
Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/help_large.ppm differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
index 838af4d974ac..dcd2e6853b86 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/rcsetup.py
@@ -1420,6 +1420,7 @@ def _validate_linestyle(ls):
     'keymap.yscale':       [['l'], validate_stringlist],
     'keymap.xscale':       [['k', 'L'], validate_stringlist],
     'keymap.all_axes':     [['a'], validate_stringlist],
+    'keymap.help':         [['f1'], validate_stringlist],
 
     # sample data
     'examples.directory': ['', validate_string],
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_tools.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_tools.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..cc05a1a98f78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_tools.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import pytest
+
+from matplotlib.backend_tools import ToolHelpBase
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('rc_shortcut,expected', [
+    ('home', 'Home'),
+    ('backspace', 'Backspace'),
+    ('f1', 'F1'),
+    ('ctrl+a', 'Ctrl+A'),
+    ('ctrl+A', 'Ctrl+Shift+A'),
+    ('a', 'a'),
+    ('A', 'A'),
+    ('ctrl+shift+f1', 'Ctrl+Shift+F1'),
+    ('1', '1'),
+    ('cmd+p', 'Cmd+P'),
+    ('cmd+1', 'Cmd+1'),
+])
+def test_format_shortcut(rc_shortcut, expected):
+    assert ToolHelpBase.format_shortcut(rc_shortcut) == expected
diff --git a/matplotlibrc.template b/matplotlibrc.template
index cf4e0803106b..a3416144f0f0 100644
--- a/matplotlibrc.template
+++ b/matplotlibrc.template
@@ -583,6 +583,7 @@ backend      : $TEMPLATE_BACKEND
 #keymap.pan : p                      ## pan mnemonic
 #keymap.zoom : o                     ## zoom mnemonic
 #keymap.save : s, ctrl+s             ## saving current figure
+#keymap.help : f1                    ## display help about active tools
 #keymap.quit : ctrl+w, cmd+w, q      ## close the current figure
 #keymap.quit_all : W, cmd+W, Q       ## close all figures
 #keymap.grid : g                     ## switching on/off major grids in current axes
diff --git a/tools/make_icons.py b/tools/make_icons.py
index 3c9712fa4038..53bb1f023bb3 100755
--- a/tools/make_icons.py
+++ b/tools/make_icons.py
@@ -97,7 +97,8 @@ def make_matplotlib_icon():
     ('move', 0xf047),
     ('filesave', 0xf0c7),
     ('subplots', 0xf1de),
-    ('qt4_editor_options', 0xf201)]
+    ('qt4_editor_options', 0xf201),
+    ('help', 0xf128)]
 
 
 def make_icons():