diff --git a/python/ray/WebUI.ipynb b/python/ray/WebUI.ipynb
index b5316a00a..011d3ce66 100644
--- a/python/ray/WebUI.ipynb
+++ b/python/ray/WebUI.ipynb
@@ -10,16 +10,75 @@
   {
    "cell_type": "code",
    "execution_count": null,
-   "metadata": {
-    "collapsed": false
-   },
+   "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
     "import os\n",
+    "import pprint\n",
+    "import ipywidgets as widgets\n",
     "import ray\n",
     "\n",
-    "redis_address = os.environ[\"REDIS_ADDRESS\"]\n",
-    "ray.init(redis_address=redis_address)"
+    "from IPython.display import display\n",
+    "\n",
+    "ray.init(redis_address=os.environ[\"REDIS_ADDRESS\"])"
+   ]
+  },
+  {
+   "cell_type": "markdown",
+   "metadata": {},
+   "source": [
+    "**Evaluate the box below to search for objects.**"
+   ]
+  },
+  {
+   "cell_type": "code",
+   "execution_count": null,
+   "metadata": {},
+   "outputs": [],
+   "source": [
+    "object_search = widgets.Text(\n",
+    "    value=\"\",\n",
+    "    placeholder=\"Object ID\",\n",
+    "    description=\"Search for an object:\",\n",
+    "    disabled=False\n",
+    ")\n",
+    "display(object_search)\n",
+    "\n",
+    "def handle_submit(sender):\n",
+    "    pp = pprint.PrettyPrinter()\n",
+    "    pp.pprint(ray.global_state.object_table(object_search.value))\n",
+    "\n",
+    "object_search.on_submit(handle_submit)"
+   ]
+  },
+  {
+   "cell_type": "markdown",
+   "metadata": {},
+   "source": [
+    "**Evaluate the box below to search for tasks.**"
+   ]
+  },
+  {
+   "cell_type": "code",
+   "execution_count": null,
+   "metadata": {
+    "collapsed": true
+   },
+   "outputs": [],
+   "source": [
+    "task_search = widgets.Text(\n",
+    "    value=\"\",\n",
+    "    placeholder=\"Task ID\",\n",
+    "    description=\"Search for a task:\",\n",
+    "    disabled=False\n",
+    ")\n",
+    "display(task_search)\n",
+    "\n",
+    "def handle_submit(sender):\n",
+    "    pp = pprint.PrettyPrinter()\n",
+    "    pp.pprint(ray.global_state.task_table(task_search.value))\n",
+    "\n",
+    "task_search.on_submit(handle_submit)"
    ]
   }
  ],
@@ -39,7 +98,7 @@
    "name": "python",
    "nbconvert_exporter": "python",
    "pygments_lexer": "ipython3",
-   "version": "3.6.0"
+   "version": "3.6.1"
   }
  },
  "nbformat": 4,
diff --git a/python/ray/experimental/state.py b/python/ray/experimental/state.py
index 06f31a97f..390b1dea2 100644
--- a/python/ray/experimental/state.py
+++ b/python/ray/experimental/state.py
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@ class GlobalState(object):
     Returns:
       A dictionary with information about the object ID in question.
     """
+    # Allow the argument to be either an ObjectID or a hex string.
+    if not isinstance(object_id, ray.local_scheduler.ObjectID):
+      object_id = ray.local_scheduler.ObjectID(hex_to_binary(object_id))
+
     # Return information about a single object ID.
     object_locations = self._execute_command(object_id,
                                              "RAY.OBJECT_TABLE_LOOKUP",