diff --git a/frontend/src/App.css b/frontend/src/App.css
index 6b2add8..4f16779 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.css
+++ b/frontend/src/App.css
@@ -742,6 +742,124 @@ a.app-footer__repo:hover {
   color: var(--color-error);
 }
 
+/* ── Hamburger button ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+.hamburger-btn {
+  display: none;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  width: 44px;
+  height: 44px;
+  padding: 0;
+  border: none;
+  background: none;
+  color: var(--color-text-on-header);
+  cursor: pointer;
+  -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;
+  transition: color 0.15s;
+}
+
+.hamburger-btn:hover {
+  color: var(--color-text-on-header-hover);
+}
+
+/* ── Mobile nav search inside hamburger menu ──────────────────────────────── */
+
+.mobile-nav-search {
+  display: none;
+}
+
+/* ── Mobile breakpoint (768px) ────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+@media (max-width: 768px) {
+  .hamburger-btn {
+    display: flex;
+  }
+
+  .app-header {
+    flex-wrap: wrap;
+    position: relative;
+  }
+
+  /* Hide the nav search bar in header on mobile — it goes inside the menu */
+  .app-header > .search-container--nav {
+    display: none;
+  }
+
+  .app-header__right {
+    /* Keep the hamburger button visible; nav collapses */
+    order: 0;
+  }
+
+  .app-nav {
+    display: none;
+    position: absolute;
+    top: 100%;
+    left: 0;
+    right: 0;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    align-items: stretch;
+    background: var(--color-bg-header);
+    border-top: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+    box-shadow: 0 8px 24px var(--color-shadow-heavy);
+    z-index: 200;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    max-height: 0;
+    opacity: 0;
+    transition: max-height 0.25s ease, opacity 0.2s ease;
+  }
+
+  .app-nav--open {
+    display: flex;
+    max-height: 24rem;
+    opacity: 1;
+  }
+
+  .app-nav a,
+  .app-nav .admin-dropdown__trigger {
+    min-height: 44px;
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;
+    font-size: 1rem;
+    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+  }
+
+  .app-nav .admin-dropdown {
+    width: 100%;
+  }
+
+  .app-nav .admin-dropdown__trigger {
+    width: 100%;
+    text-align: left;
+  }
+
+  .app-nav .admin-dropdown__menu {
+    position: static;
+    box-shadow: none;
+    border: none;
+    border-radius: 0;
+    background: var(--color-bg-header-alt);
+  }
+
+  .app-nav .admin-dropdown__item {
+    padding-left: 2.5rem;
+    min-height: 44px;
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+  }
+
+  .mobile-nav-search {
+    display: block;
+    padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;
+    border-top: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+  }
+
+  .mobile-nav-search .search-container--nav {
+    max-width: 100%;
+  }
+}
+
 /* ── Responsive ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 
 @media (max-width: 640px) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index cf74b5b..98955df 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { useState, useEffect, useRef, useCallback } from "react";
 import { Link, Navigate, Route, Routes, useLocation, useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 import Home from "./pages/Home";
 import SearchResults from "./pages/SearchResults";
@@ -17,10 +18,47 @@ export default function App() {
   const location = useLocation();
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const showNavSearch = location.pathname !== "/";
+  const [menuOpen, setMenuOpen] = useState(false);
+  const headerRef = useRef<HTMLElement>(null);
+
+  // Close menu on route change
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setMenuOpen(false);
+  }, [location.pathname]);
+
+  // Close menu on Escape
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!menuOpen) return;
+    const handleKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (e.key === "Escape") setMenuOpen(false);
+    };
+    document.addEventListener("keydown", handleKey);
+    return () => document.removeEventListener("keydown", handleKey);
+  }, [menuOpen]);
+
+  // Close menu on outside click
+  const handleOutsideClick = useCallback(
+    (e: MouseEvent) => {
+      if (
+        menuOpen &&
+        headerRef.current &&
+        !headerRef.current.contains(e.target as Node)
+      ) {
+        setMenuOpen(false);
+      }
+    },
+    [menuOpen],
+  );
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!menuOpen) return;
+    document.addEventListener("mousedown", handleOutsideClick);
+    return () => document.removeEventListener("mousedown", handleOutsideClick);
+  }, [menuOpen, handleOutsideClick]);
 
   return (
     <div className="app">
-      <header className="app-header">
+      <header className="app-header" ref={headerRef}>
         <Link to="/" className="app-header__brand">
           <h1>Chrysopedia</h1>
         </Link>
@@ -33,11 +71,42 @@ export default function App() {
           />
         )}
         <div className="app-header__right">
-          <nav className="app-nav">
+          <button
+            className="hamburger-btn"
+            onClick={() => setMenuOpen((v) => !v)}
+            aria-label="Toggle navigation"
+            aria-expanded={menuOpen}
+          >
+            <svg width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="2" strokeLinecap="round">
+              {menuOpen ? (
+                <>
+                  <line x1="6" y1="6" x2="18" y2="18" />
+                  <line x1="6" y1="18" x2="18" y2="6" />
+                </>
+              ) : (
+                <>
+                  <line x1="3" y1="6" x2="21" y2="6" />
+                  <line x1="3" y1="12" x2="21" y2="12" />
+                  <line x1="3" y1="18" x2="21" y2="18" />
+                </>
+              )}
+            </svg>
+          </button>
+          <nav className={`app-nav${menuOpen ? " app-nav--open" : ""}`}>
             <Link to="/">Home</Link>
             <Link to="/topics">Topics</Link>
             <Link to="/creators">Creators</Link>
             <AdminDropdown />
+            {/* Mobile-only: search bar inside menu when not shown in header */}
+            {menuOpen && showNavSearch && (
+              <div className="mobile-nav-search">
+                <SearchAutocomplete
+                  variant="nav"
+                  placeholder="Search…"
+                  onSearch={(q) => navigate(`/search?q=${encodeURIComponent(q)}`)}
+                />
+              </div>
+            )}
           </nav>
         </div>
       </header>