diff --git a/scikits/image/io/__init__.py b/scikits/image/io/__init__.py
index 3ef9e1e1..da516861 100644
--- a/scikits/image/io/__init__.py
+++ b/scikits/image/io/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 """Utilities to read and write images in various formats."""
 
+import pil_plugin
+import matplotlib_plugin
+
+from plugin import register as register_plugin
 
-from pil_imread import *
 from sift import *
 from collection import *
 
+from io import *
diff --git a/scikits/image/io/collection.py b/scikits/image/io/collection.py
index 7cf98e09..cf065f93 100644
--- a/scikits/image/io/collection.py
+++ b/scikits/image/io/collection.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from glob import glob
 import os.path
 
 import numpy as np
-from pil_imread import imread
+from io import imread
 
 from PIL import Image
 
@@ -266,7 +266,8 @@ class ImageCollection(object):
         n = self._check_imgnum(n)
         idx = n % len(self.data)
 
-        if (self.conserve_memory and n != self._cached) or (self.data[idx] is None):
+        if (self.conserve_memory and n != self._cached) or \
+               (self.data[idx] is None):
             self.data[idx] = imread(self.files[n], self.as_grey,
                                     dtype=self._dtype)
             self._cached = n
diff --git a/scikits/image/io/io.py b/scikits/image/io/io.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..11369bec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scikits/image/io/io.py
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+__all__ = ['imread', 'imsave', 'imshow']
+
+from scikits.image.io import plugin as _plugin
+
+def imread(fname, as_grey=False, dtype=None, plugin=None, flatten=None,
+           **plugin_args):
+    """Load an image from file.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    fname : string
+        Image file name, e.g. ``test.jpg``.
+    as_grey : bool
+        If True, convert color images to grey-scale. If `dtype` is not given,
+        converted color images are returned as 32-bit float images.
+        Images that are already in grey-scale format are not converted.
+    dtype : dtype, optional
+        NumPy data-type specifier. If given, the returned image has this type.
+        If None (default), the data-type is determined automatically.
+    plugin : str
+        Name of plugin to use.  By default, the different plugins are
+        tried (starting with the Python Imaging Library) until a suitable
+        candidate is found.
+
+    Other Parameters
+    ----------------
+    flatten : bool
+        Backward compatible keyword, superseded by `as_grey`.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    img_array : ndarray
+        The different colour bands/channels are stored in the
+        third dimension, such that a grey-image is MxN, an
+        RGB-image MxNx3 and an RGBA-image MxNx4.
+
+    Other parameters
+    ----------------
+    plugin_args : keywords
+        Passed to the given plugin.
+
+    """
+    # Backward compatibility
+    if flatten is not None:
+        as_grey = flatten
+
+    return _plugin.call('read', fname, as_grey=as_grey, dtype=dtype,
+                        plugin=plugin, **plugin_args)
+
+def imsave(fname, arr, plugin=None, **plugin_args):
+    """Save an image to file.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    fname : str
+        Target filename.
+    arr : ndarray of shape (M,N) or (M,N,3) or (M,N,4)
+        Image data.
+    plugin : str
+        Name of plugin to use.  By default, the different plugins are
+        tried (starting with the Python Imaging Library) until a suitable
+        candidate is found.
+
+    Other parameters
+    ----------------
+    plugin_args : keywords
+        Passed to the given plugin.
+
+    """
+    return _plugin.call('save', fname, arr, plugin=plugin, **plugin_args)
+
+def imshow(arr, plugin=None, **plugin_args):
+    """Display an image.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    arr : ndarray
+        Image data.
+    plugin : str
+        Name of plugin to use.  By default, the different plugins are
+        tried (starting with the Python Imaging Library) until a suitable
+        candidate is found.
+
+    Other parameters
+    ----------------
+    plugin_args : keywords
+        Passed to the given plugin.
+
+    """
+    return _plugin.call('show', arr, plugin=plugin, **plugin_args)
diff --git a/scikits/image/io/matplotlib_plugin.py b/scikits/image/io/matplotlib_plugin.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3d748fe5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scikits/image/io/matplotlib_plugin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import plugin
+
+try:
+    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+except ImportError:
+    pass
+else:
+    plugin.register('matplotlib', show=plt.imshow, save=plt.imsave)
diff --git a/scikits/image/io/pil_imread.py b/scikits/image/io/pil_imread.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 10d273ca..00000000
--- a/scikits/image/io/pil_imread.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,67 +0,0 @@
-__all__ = ['imread']
-
-import numpy as np
-
-def imread(fname, flatten=False, dtype=None):
-    """Load an image from file.
-
-    Parameters
-    ----------
-    fname : string
-        Image file name, e.g. ``test.jpg``.
-    flatten : bool
-        If True, convert color images to grey-scale. If `dtype` is not given,
-        converted color images are returned as 32-bit float images.
-        Images that are already in grey-scale format are not converted.
-    dtype : dtype, optional
-        NumPy data-type specifier. If given, the returned image has this type.
-        If None (default), the data-type is determined automatically.
-
-    Returns
-    -------
-    img_array : ndarray
-        The different colour bands/channels are stored in the
-        third dimension, such that a grey-image is MxN, an
-        RGB-image MxNx3 and an RGBA-image MxNx4.
-
-    """
-    try:
-        from PIL import Image
-    except ImportError:
-        raise ImportError("Could not import the Python Imaging Library (PIL)"
-                          " required to load image files.  Please refer to"
-                          " http://pypi.python.org/pypi/PIL/ for installation"
-                          " instructions.")
-
-    im = Image.open(fname)
-    if im.mode == 'P':
-        if palette_is_grayscale(im):
-            im = im.convert('L')
-        else:
-            im = im.convert('RGB')
-    if flatten and not im.mode in ('1', 'L', 'I', 'F', 'I;16', 'I;16L', 'I;16B'):
-        im = im.convert('F')
-    return np.array(im, dtype=dtype)
-
-
-def palette_is_grayscale(pil_image):
-    """Return True if PIL image in palette mode is grayscale.
-
-    Parameters
-    ----------
-    pil_image : PIL image
-        PIL Image that is in Palette mode.
-
-    Returns
-    -------
-    is_grayscale : bool
-        True if all colors in image palette are gray.
-    """
-    assert pil_image.mode == 'P'
-    # get palette as an array with R, G, B columns
-    palette = np.asarray(pil_image.getpalette()).reshape((256, 3))
-    # Not all palette colors are used; unused colors have junk values.
-    start, stop = pil_image.getextrema()
-    valid_palette = palette[start:stop]
-    # Image is grayscale if channel differences (R - G and G - B) are all zero.
-    return np.allclose(np.diff(valid_palette), 0)
diff --git a/scikits/image/io/pil_plugin.py b/scikits/image/io/pil_plugin.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aa8adb74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scikits/image/io/pil_plugin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+__all__ = ['imread']
+
+import numpy as np
+import plugin
+
+try:
+    from PIL import Image
+    has_pil = True
+except ImportError:
+    has_pil = False
+
+def imread(fname, as_grey=False, dtype=None):
+    """Load an image from file.
+
+    """
+    im = Image.open(fname)
+    if im.mode == 'P':
+        if palette_is_grayscale(im):
+            im = im.convert('L')
+        else:
+            im = im.convert('RGB')
+
+    if as_grey and not \
+           im.mode in ('1', 'L', 'I', 'F', 'I;16', 'I;16L', 'I;16B'):
+        im = im.convert('F')
+
+    return np.array(im, dtype=dtype)
+
+def palette_is_grayscale(pil_image):
+    """Return True if PIL image in palette mode is grayscale.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    pil_image : PIL image
+        PIL Image that is in Palette mode.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    is_grayscale : bool
+        True if all colors in image palette are gray.
+    """
+    assert pil_image.mode == 'P'
+    # get palette as an array with R, G, B columns
+    palette = np.asarray(pil_image.getpalette()).reshape((256, 3))
+    # Not all palette colors are used; unused colors have junk values.
+    start, stop = pil_image.getextrema()
+    valid_palette = palette[start:stop]
+    # Image is grayscale if channel differences (R - G and G - B)
+    # are all zero.
+    return np.allclose(np.diff(valid_palette), 0)
+
+
+if has_pil:
+    plugin.register('PIL', read=imread)
diff --git a/scikits/image/io/plugin.py b/scikits/image/io/plugin.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..42146bfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scikits/image/io/plugin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+"""Handle image reading, writing and plotting plugins.
+
+"""
+
+__all__ = ['register', 'use']
+
+import warnings
+
+plugin_store = {'read': [],
+                'save': [],
+                'show': []}
+
+def register(name, **kwds):
+    """Register an image I/O plugin.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    name : str
+        Name of this plugin.
+    read : callable, optional
+        Function with signature
+        ``read(filename, as_grey=False, dtype=None, **plugin_specific_args)``
+        that reads images.
+    save : callable, optional
+        Function with signature
+        ``write(filename, arr, **plugin_specific_args)``
+        that writes an image to disk.
+    show : callable, optional
+        Function with signature
+        ``show(X, **plugin_specific_args)`` that displays an image.
+
+    """
+    for kind in kwds:
+        if kind not in plugin_store.keys():
+            raise ValueError('Tried to register invalid plugin method.')
+
+        func = kwds[kind]
+        if not callable(func):
+            raise ValueError('Can only register functions as plugins.')
+
+        plugin_store[kind].append((name, func))
+
+
+def call(kind, *args, **kwargs):
+    """Find the appropriate plugin of 'kind' and execute it.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    kind : {'show', 'save', 'read'}
+        Function to look up.
+    plugin : str, optional
+        Plugin to load.  Defaults to None, in which case the first
+        matching plugin is used.
+    *args, **kwargs : arguments and keyword arguments
+        Passed to the plugin function.
+
+    """
+    if not kind in plugin_store:
+        raise ValueError('Invalid function (%s) requested.' % kind)
+
+    plugin_funcs = plugin_store[kind]
+    if len(plugin_funcs) == 0:
+        raise RuntimeError('No suitable plugin registered for %s' % kind)
+
+    plugin = kwargs.pop('plugin', None)
+    if plugin is None:
+        _, func = plugin_funcs[0]
+    else:
+        try:
+            func = [f for (p,f) in plugin_funcs if p == plugin][0]
+        except IndexError:
+            raise RuntimeError('Could not find the plugin "%s" for %s.' % \
+                               (plugin, kind))
+
+    return func(*args, **kwargs)
+
+def use(name, kind=None):
+    """Set the default plugin for a specified operation.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    name : str
+        Name of plugin.
+    kind : {'save', 'read', 'show'}, optional
+        Set the plugin for this function.  By default,
+        the plugin is set for all functions.
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+
+    Use Python Imaging Library to read images:
+
+    >>> from scikits.image.io import plugin
+    >>> plugin.use('PIL', 'read')
+
+    """
+    if kind is None:
+        kind = plugin_store.keys()
+    else:
+        kind = [kind]
+
+    for k in kind:
+        if not k in plugin_store:
+            raise RuntimeError("Could not find plugin for '%s'" % k)
+
+        funcs = plugin_store[k]
+
+        # Shuffle the plugins so that the requested plugin stands first
+        # in line
+        funcs = [(n, f) for (n, f) in funcs if n == name] + \
+                [(n, f) for (n, f) in funcs if n != name]
+
+        n, f = funcs[0]
+        if not n == name:
+            warnings.warn(RuntimeWarning('Could not set plugin "%s" for'
+                                         ' function "%s".' % (name, k)))
+
+        plugin_store[k] = funcs
+
+def available(kind=None):
+    """List available plugins.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    kind : {'show', 'save', 'read'}, optional
+        Display the plugin list for the given function type.  If not specified,
+        return a dictionary with the plugins for all functions.
+
+    """
+    if kind is None:
+        kind = plugin_store.keys()
+    else:
+        kind = [kind]
+
+    d = {}
+    for k in kind:
+        if not k in plugin_store:
+            raise ValueError('No function "%s" exists in the plugin registry.'
+                             % kind)
+
+        d[k] = [name for (name, func) in plugin_store[k]]
+
+    return d
diff --git a/scikits/image/io/tests/test_imread.py b/scikits/image/io/tests/test_imread.py
index 2e9a2f7a..ab8417d1 100644
--- a/scikits/image/io/tests/test_imread.py
+++ b/scikits/image/io/tests/test_imread.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import numpy as np
 
 from scikits.image import data_dir
 from scikits.image.io import imread
-from scikits.image.io.pil_imread import palette_is_grayscale
+from scikits.image.io.pil_plugin import palette_is_grayscale
 
 def test_imread_flatten():
     # a color image is flattened and returned as float32
diff --git a/scikits/image/io/tests/test_plugin.py b/scikits/image/io/tests/test_plugin.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..987ea8c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scikits/image/io/tests/test_plugin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+from numpy.testing import *
+
+from scikits.image import io
+from scikits.image.io import plugin
+
+from copy import deepcopy
+
+def read(fname, as_grey=False, dtype=None):
+    assert fname == 'test.png'
+    assert as_grey == True
+    assert dtype == 'i4'
+
+def save(fname, arr):
+    assert fname == 'test.png'
+    assert arr == [1, 2, 3]
+
+def show(arr, plugin_arg=None):
+    assert arr == [1, 2, 3]
+    assert plugin_arg == (1, 2)
+
+def show_other(arr):
+    return "other"
+
+def setup_module(self):
+    self.backup_plugin_store = deepcopy(plugin.plugin_store)
+    plugin.register('test', read=read, save=save, show=show)
+    plugin.register('other', show=show_other)
+
+def teardown_module(self):
+    plugin.plugin_store = self.backup_plugin_store
+
+class TestPlugin:
+    def test_read(self):
+        io.imread('test.png', as_grey=True, dtype='i4', plugin='test')
+
+    def test_save(self):
+        io.imsave('test.png', [1, 2, 3], plugin='test')
+
+    def test_show(self):
+        io.imshow([1, 2, 3], plugin_arg=(1, 2), plugin='test')
+
+    def test_use(self):
+        plugin.use('other', 'show')
+        assert io.imshow(None) == 'other'
+
+    def test_available(self):
+        plugin.use('other', 'show')
+        d = plugin.available('show')
+        assert d['show'][0] == 'other'
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    run_module_suite()