diff --git a/doc/api/index.rst b/doc/api/index.rst
index 9c33f38ad6d8..ed0e7f310275 100644
--- a/doc/api/index.rst
+++ b/doc/api/index.rst
@@ -101,21 +101,6 @@ Alphabetical list of modules:
    widgets_api.rst
    _api_api.rst
    _enums_api.rst
-
-Toolkits
---------
-
-:ref:`toolkits-index` are collections of application-specific functions that extend
-Matplotlib. The following toolkits are included:
-
-.. toctree::
-   :hidden:
-
-   toolkits/index.rst
-
-.. toctree::
-   :maxdepth: 1
-
    toolkits/mplot3d.rst
    toolkits/axes_grid1.rst
    toolkits/axisartist.rst
diff --git a/doc/api/toolkits/index.rst b/doc/api/toolkits/index.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 59c01ab21a69..000000000000
--- a/doc/api/toolkits/index.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-.. _toolkits-index:
-
-.. _toolkits:
-
-########
-Toolkits
-########
-
-Toolkits are collections of application-specific functions that extend
-Matplotlib.
-
-.. _toolkit_mplot3d:
-
-mplot3d
-=======
-
-:mod:`mpl_toolkits.mplot3d` provides some basic 3D
-plotting (scatter, surf, line, mesh) tools.  Not the fastest or most feature
-complete 3D library out there, but it ships with Matplotlib and thus may be a
-lighter weight solution for some use cases. Check out the
-:doc:`mplot3d tutorial </tutorials/toolkits/mplot3d>` for more
-information.
-
-.. figure:: ../../gallery/mplot3d/images/sphx_glr_contourf3d_2_001.png
-   :target: ../../gallery/mplot3d/contourf3d_2.html
-   :align: center
-   :scale: 50
-
-.. toctree::
-    :maxdepth: 2
-
-    mplot3d/index.rst
-    mplot3d/faq.rst
-
-Links
------
-* mpl3d API: :ref:`toolkit_mplot3d-api`
-
-.. include:: axes_grid1.rst
-   :start-line: 1
-
-.. include:: axisartist.rst
-   :start-line: 1
-
-.. include:: axes_grid.rst
-   :start-line: 1
diff --git a/doc/api/toolkits/mplot3d.rst b/doc/api/toolkits/mplot3d.rst
index 97d3bf13246f..5b3cb52571bb 100644
--- a/doc/api/toolkits/mplot3d.rst
+++ b/doc/api/toolkits/mplot3d.rst
@@ -1,8 +1,32 @@
-.. _toolkit_mplot3d-api:
+.. _toolkit_mplot3d-index:
+.. currentmodule:: mpl_toolkits.mplot3d
+
+************************
+``mpl_toolkits.mplot3d``
+************************
+
+The mplot3d toolkit adds simple 3D plotting capabilities (scatter, surface,
+line, mesh, etc.) to Matplotlib by supplying an Axes object that can create
+a 2D projection of a 3D scene.  The resulting graph will have the same look
+and feel as regular 2D plots.  Not the fastest or most feature complete 3D
+library out there, but it ships with Matplotlib and thus may be a lighter
+weight solution for some use cases.
+
+See the :doc:`mplot3d tutorial </tutorials/toolkits/mplot3d>` for
+more information.
+
+.. image:: /_static/demo_mplot3d.png
+   :align: center
+
+The interactive backends also provide the ability to rotate and zoom the 3D
+scene.  One can rotate the 3D scene by simply clicking-and-dragging the scene.
+Zooming is done by right-clicking the scene and dragging the mouse up and down
+(unlike 2D plots, the toolbar zoom button is not used).
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 2
 
-***********
-mplot3d API
-***********
+   mplot3d/faq.rst
 
 .. note::
    `.pyplot` cannot be used to add content to 3D plots, because its function
diff --git a/doc/api/toolkits/mplot3d/index.rst b/doc/api/toolkits/mplot3d/index.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 8b153c06903f..000000000000
--- a/doc/api/toolkits/mplot3d/index.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-.. _toolkit_mplot3d-index:
-.. currentmodule:: mpl_toolkits.mplot3d
-
-*******
-mplot3d
-*******
-
-Matplotlib mplot3d toolkit
-==========================
-The mplot3d toolkit adds simple 3D plotting capabilities to matplotlib by
-supplying an axes object that can create a 2D projection of a 3D scene.
-The resulting graph will have the same look and feel as regular 2D plots.
-
-See the :doc:`mplot3d tutorial </tutorials/toolkits/mplot3d>` for
-more information on how to use this toolkit.
-
-.. image:: /_static/demo_mplot3d.png
-
-The interactive backends also provide the ability to rotate and zoom
-the 3D scene. One can rotate the 3D scene by simply clicking-and-dragging
-the scene. Zooming is done by right-clicking the scene and dragging the
-mouse up and down. Note that one does not use the zoom button like one
-would use for regular 2D plots.
-
-.. toctree::
-    :maxdepth: 2
-
-    faq.rst
diff --git a/doc/devel/testing.rst b/doc/devel/testing.rst
index aa189948003c..65898b95ee0c 100644
--- a/doc/devel/testing.rst
+++ b/doc/devel/testing.rst
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ The correct target folder can be found using::
     python -c "import matplotlib.tests; print(matplotlib.tests.__file__.rsplit('/', 1)[0])"
 
 An analogous copying of :file:`lib/mpl_toolkits/tests/baseline_images`
-is necessary for testing the :ref:`toolkits`.
+is necessary for testing ``mpl_toolkits``.
 
 Run the tests
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
diff --git a/doc/index.rst b/doc/index.rst
index 0350a1047a9f..3b18def1db3c 100644
--- a/doc/index.rst
+++ b/doc/index.rst
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@ Reference
   - :doc:`Axes API <api/axes_api>` for *most* plotting methods
   - :doc:`Figure API <api/figure_api>` for figure-level methods
 
-- :doc:`Extra Toolkits <api/toolkits/index>`
-
 How-tos
 =======