diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 485320f..e6240d3 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -555,6 +555,181 @@ window.addEventListener('beforeunload', () => {
   wsClient.disconnect();
 });
 
+// === VISITOR MEMORY ===
+const VISIT_KEY = 'nexus_visit_count';
+const visitCount = (parseInt(localStorage.getItem(VISIT_KEY) || '0', 10) || 0) + 1;
+localStorage.setItem(VISIT_KEY, String(visitCount));
+
+/**
+ * Draws tally marks on a canvas context.
+ * Groups of 5: four vertical strokes + one diagonal slash.
+ * @param {CanvasRenderingContext2D} ctx
+ * @param {number} count - Total ticks to draw
+ * @param {number} startX
+ * @param {number} startY
+ * @param {number} tickH - Height of each tick stroke in px
+ * @param {number} tickGap - Gap between strokes
+ */
+function drawTallyMarks(ctx, count, startX, startY, tickH, tickGap) {
+  const groupW = tickGap * 4 + tickH * 0.6 + tickGap; // width of a group of 5
+  let x = startX;
+  let groupPos = 0; // position within current group (0-4)
+
+  ctx.strokeStyle = '#4488ff';
+  ctx.lineWidth = 2;
+  ctx.lineCap = 'round';
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+    if (groupPos < 4) {
+      // Vertical stroke
+      ctx.beginPath();
+      ctx.moveTo(x, startY);
+      ctx.lineTo(x, startY + tickH);
+      ctx.stroke();
+      x += tickGap;
+      groupPos++;
+    } else {
+      // Diagonal slash across the group
+      ctx.beginPath();
+      ctx.moveTo(x - tickGap * 4 - tickGap * 0.5, startY + tickH * 0.9);
+      ctx.lineTo(x + tickGap * 0.5, startY + tickH * 0.1);
+      ctx.stroke();
+      x += tickGap * 1.5; // extra gap after group
+      groupPos = 0;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Creates a canvas texture for the visit history panel.
+ * @param {number} count
+ * @returns {THREE.CanvasTexture}
+ */
+function createVisitPanelTexture(count) {
+  const W = 256, H = 96;
+  const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
+  canvas.width = W;
+  canvas.height = H;
+  const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
+
+  // Background
+  ctx.fillStyle = 'rgba(0, 0, 16, 0.82)';
+  ctx.fillRect(0, 0, W, H);
+
+  // Border
+  ctx.strokeStyle = '#334488';
+  ctx.lineWidth = 1;
+  ctx.strokeRect(0.5, 0.5, W - 1, H - 1);
+
+  // Header
+  ctx.font = 'bold 10px "Courier New", monospace';
+  ctx.fillStyle = '#4488ff';
+  ctx.fillText('TIMMY REMEMBERS YOU', 12, 18);
+
+  // Divider
+  ctx.strokeStyle = '#223366';
+  ctx.lineWidth = 1;
+  ctx.beginPath();
+  ctx.moveTo(12, 24);
+  ctx.lineTo(W - 12, 24);
+  ctx.stroke();
+
+  // Visit count label
+  ctx.font = '9px "Courier New", monospace';
+  ctx.fillStyle = '#8899cc';
+  ctx.fillText(`VISIT COUNT: ${count}`, 12, 38);
+
+  // Tally marks — show up to 30 ticks (5 groups of 6 groups)
+  const displayCount = Math.min(count, 30);
+  if (displayCount > 0) {
+    drawTallyMarks(ctx, displayCount, 12, 48, 18, 10);
+  }
+
+  // Overflow indicator
+  if (count > 30) {
+    ctx.font = '9px "Courier New", monospace';
+    ctx.fillStyle = '#4488ff';
+    ctx.fillText(`+${count - 30} more`, 12, 85);
+  }
+
+  return new THREE.CanvasTexture(canvas);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Creates the 3D visit history panel sprite and adds it to the scene.
+ * @param {number} count
+ */
+function spawnVisitPanel(count) {
+  const texture = createVisitPanelTexture(count);
+  const mat = new THREE.SpriteMaterial({
+    map: texture,
+    transparent: true,
+    opacity: 0,
+    depthWrite: false,
+  });
+  const sprite = new THREE.Sprite(mat);
+  // Position: to the right of platform, slightly elevated
+  sprite.scale.set(7, 2.6, 1);
+  sprite.position.set(7.5, 2.2, -1.5);
+  scene.add(sprite);
+
+  // Fade in over 1.5s, hold, then persist at low opacity
+  const startTime = performance.now();
+  const FADE_IN = 1500;
+  const HOLD = 3000;
+  const FADE_OUT = 1500;
+
+  function tick() {
+    const elapsed = performance.now() - startTime;
+    let opacity;
+    if (elapsed < FADE_IN) {
+      opacity = elapsed / FADE_IN;
+    } else if (elapsed < FADE_IN + HOLD) {
+      opacity = 1;
+    } else if (elapsed < FADE_IN + HOLD + FADE_OUT) {
+      opacity = 1 - (elapsed - FADE_IN - HOLD) / FADE_OUT;
+    } else {
+      // Settle at a subtle persistent opacity
+      opacity = 0.35;
+      mat.opacity = opacity;
+      return;
+    }
+    mat.opacity = opacity * 0.9;
+    requestAnimationFrame(tick);
+  }
+  requestAnimationFrame(tick);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Shows the visitor welcome overlay and spawns the history panel.
+ */
+function initVisitorMemory() {
+  const welcomeEl = document.getElementById('visitor-welcome');
+  if (!welcomeEl) return;
+
+  let message;
+  if (visitCount === 1) {
+    message = 'Welcome to the Nexus — first time here';
+  } else {
+    message = `Welcome back &mdash; visit #${visitCount}`;
+  }
+  welcomeEl.innerHTML = message;
+
+  // Show after a brief pause so the scene is visible first
+  setTimeout(() => {
+    welcomeEl.classList.add('visible');
+    // Remove class after animation so it can replay on next call if needed
+    welcomeEl.addEventListener('animationend', () => {
+      welcomeEl.classList.remove('visible');
+    }, { once: true });
+  }, 1200);
+
+  // Spawn 3D history panel
+  spawnVisitPanel(visitCount);
+}
+
+initVisitorMemory();
+
 // === COMMIT BANNERS ===
 const commitBanners = [];
 
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 795f24e..3d03b06 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@
 
   <div id="sovereignty-msg">⚡ SOVEREIGNTY ⚡</div>
 
+  <div id="visitor-welcome"></div>
+
   <script type="module" src="app.js"></script>
 <div id="loading" style="position: fixed; top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; height: 4px; background: #222; z-index: 1000;">
   <div id="loading-bar" style="height: 100%; background: var(--color-accent); width: 0;"></div>
diff --git a/style.css b/style.css
index 7dae8ca..759b221 100644
--- a/style.css
+++ b/style.css
@@ -183,3 +183,36 @@ body.photo-mode #overview-indicator {
   40%  { opacity: 1; transform: translate(-50%, -50%) scale(1); }
   100% { opacity: 0; transform: translate(-50%, -50%) scale(1); }
 }
+
+/* === VISITOR WELCOME === */
+#visitor-welcome {
+  display: none;
+  position: fixed;
+  bottom: 60px;
+  left: 50%;
+  transform: translateX(-50%);
+  color: var(--color-primary);
+  font-family: var(--font-body);
+  font-size: 12px;
+  letter-spacing: 0.2em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  pointer-events: none;
+  z-index: 20;
+  border: 1px solid var(--color-primary);
+  padding: 8px 18px;
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 8, 0.75);
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  text-align: center;
+}
+
+#visitor-welcome.visible {
+  display: block;
+  animation: visitor-welcome-fade 4s ease-out forwards;
+}
+
+@keyframes visitor-welcome-fade {
+  0%   { opacity: 0; transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(8px); }
+  15%  { opacity: 1; transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(0); }
+  70%  { opacity: 1; }
+  100% { opacity: 0; transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(0); }
+}