diff --git a/packages/virtualdom/src/index.ts b/packages/virtualdom/src/index.ts
index 43a5bb37b..f6ccb0dda 100644
--- a/packages/virtualdom/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/virtualdom/src/index.ts
@@ -755,6 +755,13 @@ export
 type VirtualNode = VirtualElement | VirtualText;
 
 
+/**
+ * A type alias for virtual content.
+ */
+export
+type VirtualContent = VirtualNode | ReadonlyArray<VirtualNode> | null;
+
+
 /**
  * Create a new virtual element node.
  *
@@ -972,7 +979,7 @@ namespace VirtualDOM {
    * result in undefined rendering behavior.
    */
   export
-  function render(content: VirtualNode | ReadonlyArray<VirtualNode> | null, host: HTMLElement): void {
+  function render(content: VirtualContent, host: HTMLElement): void {
     let oldContent = Private.hostMap.get(host) || [];
     let newContent = Private.asContentArray(content);
     Private.hostMap.set(host, newContent);
@@ -995,7 +1002,7 @@ namespace Private {
    * Cast a content value to a content array.
    */
   export
-  function asContentArray(value: VirtualNode | ReadonlyArray<VirtualNode> | null): ReadonlyArray<VirtualNode> {
+  function asContentArray(value: VirtualContent): ReadonlyArray<VirtualNode> {
     if (!value) {
       return [];
     }
diff --git a/packages/widgets/src/index.ts b/packages/widgets/src/index.ts
index 7f80e13ff..a6a8d5cc2 100644
--- a/packages/widgets/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/widgets/src/index.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ export * from './menu';
 export * from './menubar';
 export * from './panel';
 export * from './panellayout';
+export * from './renderwidget';
 export * from './scrollbar';
 export * from './singlelayout';
 export * from './splitlayout';
diff --git a/packages/widgets/src/renderwidget.ts b/packages/widgets/src/renderwidget.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..073f88eb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/widgets/src/renderwidget.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,225 @@
+/*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+| Copyright (c) 2014-2017, PhosphorJS Contributors
+|
+| Distributed under the terms of the BSD 3-Clause License.
+|
+| The full license is in the file LICENSE, distributed with this software.
+|----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+import {
+  Message, MessageLoop
+} from '@phosphor/messaging';
+
+import {
+  ISignal
+} from '@phosphor/signaling';
+
+import {
+  VirtualContent, VirtualDOM
+} from '@phosphor/virtualdom';
+
+import {
+  Widget
+} from './widget';
+
+
+/**
+ * An object which can be used as a model for a render widget.
+ */
+export
+interface IRenderModel {
+  /**
+   * A signal emitted when the model state has changed.
+   *
+   * #### notes
+   * If this signal is provided, the render widget will automatically
+   * update whenever the signal is emitted.
+   */
+  readonly stateChanged?: ISignal<this, void>;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * A widget which renders its content using the virtual DOM.
+ *
+ * #### Notes
+ * Most subclasses will typically only implement the abstract `render()`
+ * method. Advanced use cases may reimplement some of the other methods.
+ */
+export
+abstract class RenderWidget<T extends IRenderModel = {}> extends Widget {
+  /**
+   * Construct a new render widget.
+   */
+  constructor() {
+    super();
+    this.addClass('p-RenderWidget');
+    this.setFlag(Widget.Flag.DisallowLayout);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Get the model for the widget.
+   */
+  get model(): T | null {
+    return this._model;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Set the model for the widget.
+   */
+  set model(value: T | null) {
+    // Bail early if the model does not change.
+    if (this._model === value) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Disconnect from the `stateChanged` signal, if provided.
+    if (this._model && this._model.stateChanged) {
+      this._model.stateChanged.disconnect(this.onModelStateChanged, this);
+    }
+
+    // Update the internal model
+    this._model = value;
+
+    // Connect to the `stateChanged` signal, if provided.
+    if (this._model && this._model.stateChanged) {
+      this._model.stateChanged.connect(this.onModelStateChanged, this);
+    }
+
+    // Schedule an update of the widget.
+    this.update();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Process a message sent to the widget.
+   */
+  processMessage(msg: Message): void {
+    switch (msg.type) {
+    case 'before-render':
+      this.onBeforeRender(msg);
+      break;
+    case 'after-render':
+      this.onAfterRender(msg);
+      break;
+    default:
+      super.processMessage(msg);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Create the virtual DOM content for the widget.
+   *
+   * @returns The virtual DOM content to render into the widget.
+   *
+   * #### Notes
+   * This method is called automatically after the widget is attached
+   * or made visible. It can be triggered procedurally by calling the
+   * `update()` method.
+   *
+   * This will not be invoked if `shouldRender()` returns `false`.
+   *
+   * This method must be implemented by a subclass.
+   */
+  protected abstract render(): VirtualContent;
+
+  /**
+   * Test whether the widget should be rendered.
+   *
+   * @returns Whether the widget content should be rendered.
+   *
+   * #### Notes
+   * This method is invoked when the widget receives a message of type
+   * `'update-request'`. It is used to determine whether to (re)render
+   * the widget content. If this method returns `false`, the `render`
+   * method will not be invoked and the widget will not be updated.
+   *
+   * The default implementation of this method returns `true` IFF the
+   * widget is visible.
+   *
+   * A subclass may reimplement this method as needed.
+   */
+  protected shouldRender(): boolean {
+    return this.isVisible;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * A message handler invoked on a `'before-render'` message.
+   *
+   * #### Notes
+   * The default implementation of this method is a no-op.
+   */
+  protected onBeforeRender(msg: Message): void { }
+
+  /**
+   * A message handler invoked on an `'after-render'` message.
+   *
+   * #### Notes
+   * The default implementation of this method is a no-op.
+   */
+  protected onAfterRender(msg: Message): void { }
+
+  /**
+   * A message handler invoked on a `'before-attach'` message.
+   */
+  protected onBeforeAttach(msg: Message): void {
+    this.update();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * A message handler invoked on a `'before-show'` message.
+   */
+  protected onBeforeShow(msg: Message): void {
+    this.update();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * A message handler invoked on an `'update-request'` message.
+   */
+  protected onUpdateRequest(msg: Message): void {
+    // Bail if the widget should not render.
+    if (!this.shouldRender()) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Send a `'before-render'` message to the widget.
+    MessageLoop.sendMessage(this, RenderWidget.BeforeRender);
+
+    // Render the virtual content into the widget.
+    VirtualDOM.render(this.render(), this.node);
+
+    // Send an `'after-render'` message to the widget.
+    MessageLoop.sendMessage(this, RenderWidget.AfterRender);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Handle the `stateChanged` signal from the model.
+   *
+   * #### Notes
+   * The default implementation schedules an update of the widget.
+   *
+   * A subclass may reimplement this method as needed.
+   */
+  protected onModelStateChanged(): void {
+    this.update();
+  }
+
+  private _model: T | null = null;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * The namespace for the `RenderWidget` class statics.
+ */
+export
+namespace RenderWidget {
+  /**
+   * A singleton `'before-render'` message.
+   */
+  export
+  const BeforeRender = new Message('before-render');
+
+  /**
+   * A singleton `'after-render'` message.
+   */
+  export
+  const AfterRender = new Message('after-render');
+}