diff --git a/examples/GLTextItem.py b/examples/GLTextItem.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ab6e7b31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/GLTextItem.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""
+Simple examples demonstrating the use of GLTextItem.
+
+"""
+
+import initExample
+
+import pyqtgraph as pg
+from pyqtgraph.Qt import QtCore, QtGui, mkQApp
+import pyqtgraph.opengl as gl
+
+app = mkQApp("GLTextItem Example")
+
+gvw = gl.GLViewWidget()
+gvw.show()
+gvw.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: GLTextItem')
+
+griditem = gl.GLGridItem()
+griditem.setSize(10, 10)
+griditem.setSpacing(1, 1)
+gvw.addItem(griditem)
+
+axisitem = gl.GLAxisItem()
+gvw.addItem(axisitem)
+
+txtitem1 = gl.GLTextItem(pos=(0.0, 0.0, 0.0), text='text1')
+gvw.addItem(txtitem1)
+
+txtitem2 = gl.GLTextItem()
+txtitem2.setData(pos=(1.0, -1.0, 2.0), color=(127, 255, 127, 255), text='text2')
+gvw.addItem(txtitem2)
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+  pg.exec()
diff --git a/examples/utils.py b/examples/utils.py
index 346c6bca..c506b5d4 100644
--- a/examples/utils.py
+++ b/examples/utils.py
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ examples = OrderedDict([
         ('Line Plot', 'GLLinePlotItem.py'),
         ('Mesh', 'GLMeshItem.py'),
         ('Image', 'GLImageItem.py'),
+        ('Text', 'GLTextItem.py'),
     ])),
     ('Widgets', OrderedDict([
         ('PlotWidget', 'PlotWidget.py'),
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/opengl/__init__.py b/pyqtgraph/opengl/__init__.py
index 931003e4..8e53e81e 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/opengl/__init__.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/opengl/__init__.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from .items.GLImageItem import *
 from .items.GLSurfacePlotItem import *                                                                                                                      
 from .items.GLBoxItem import *                                                                                                                              
 from .items.GLVolumeItem import *                                                                                                                           
+from .items.GLTextItem import *
 
 from .MeshData import MeshData
 ## for backward compatibility:
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/opengl/items/GLTextItem.py b/pyqtgraph/opengl/items/GLTextItem.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0dc7205d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyqtgraph/opengl/items/GLTextItem.py
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+from OpenGL.GL import *
+import numpy as np
+from pyqtgraph.Qt import QtCore, QtGui
+from pyqtgraph.opengl.GLGraphicsItem import GLGraphicsItem
+import pyqtgraph.functions as fn
+
+__all__ = ['GLTextItem']
+
+class GLTextItem(GLGraphicsItem):
+    """Draws text in 3D."""
+
+    def __init__(self, **kwds):
+        """All keyword arguments are passed to setData()"""
+        GLGraphicsItem.__init__(self)
+        glopts = kwds.pop('glOptions', 'additive')
+        self.setGLOptions(glopts)
+
+        self.pos = np.array([0.0, 0.0, 0.0])
+        self.color = QtCore.Qt.white
+        self.text = ''
+        self.font = QtGui.QFont('Helvetica', 16)
+
+        self.setData(**kwds)
+
+    def setData(self, **kwds):
+        """
+        Update the data displayed by this item. All arguments are optional;
+        for example it is allowed to update text while leaving colors unchanged, etc.
+
+        ====================  ==================================================
+        **Arguments:**
+        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+        pos                   (3,) array of floats specifying text location.
+        color                 QColor or array of ints [R,G,B] or [R,G,B,A]. (Default: Qt.white)
+        text                  String to display.
+        font                  QFont (Default: QFont('Helvetica', 16))
+        ====================  ==================================================
+        """
+        args = ['pos', 'color', 'text', 'font']
+        for k in kwds.keys():
+            if k not in args:
+                raise ArgumentError('Invalid keyword argument: %s (allowed arguments are %s)' % (k, str(args)))
+        for arg in args:
+            if arg in kwds:
+                value = kwds[arg]
+                if arg == 'pos':
+                    if isinstance(value, np.ndarray):
+                        if value.shape != (3,):
+                            raise ValueError('"pos.shape" must be (3,).')
+                    elif isinstance(value, (tuple, list)):
+                        if len(value) != 3:
+                            raise ValueError('"len(pos)" must be 3.')
+                elif arg == 'color':
+                    value = fn.mkColor(value)
+                elif arg == 'font':
+                    if isinstance(value, QtGui.QFont) is False:
+                        raise TypeError('"font" must be QFont.')
+                setattr(self, arg, value)
+        self.update()
+
+    def paint(self):
+        if len(self.text) < 1:
+            return
+        self.setupGLState()
+
+        modelview = glGetDoublev(GL_MODELVIEW_MATRIX)
+        projection = glGetDoublev(GL_PROJECTION_MATRIX)
+        viewport = glGetIntegerv(GL_VIEWPORT)
+
+        text_pos = self.__project(self.pos, modelview, projection, viewport)
+        text_pos[1] = viewport[3] - text_pos[1]
+
+        text_pos /= self.view().devicePixelRatio()
+
+        painter = QtGui.QPainter(self.view())
+        painter.setPen(self.color)
+        painter.setFont(self.font)
+        painter.setRenderHints(QtGui.QPainter.Antialiasing | QtGui.QPainter.TextAntialiasing)
+        painter.drawText(text_pos[0], text_pos[1], self.text)
+        painter.end()
+
+    def __project(self, obj_pos, modelview, projection, viewport):
+        obj_vec = np.append(np.array(obj_pos), [1.0])
+
+        view_vec = np.matmul(modelview.T, obj_vec)
+        proj_vec = np.matmul(projection.T, view_vec)
+
+        if proj_vec[3] == 0.0:
+            return
+
+        proj_vec[0:3] /= proj_vec[3]
+
+        return np.array([
+            viewport[0] + (1.0 + proj_vec[0]) * viewport[2] / 2.0,
+            viewport[1] + (1.0 + proj_vec[1]) * viewport[3] / 2.0,
+            (1.0 + proj_vec[2]) / 2.0
+        ])