diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index ae68edf9..eebaf534 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -9,17 +9,19 @@
         "@emotion/react": "^11.11.4",
         "@emotion/styled": "^11.11.5",
         "@fontsource/inter": "^5.0.16",
-        "@mui/icons-material": "^5.15.11",
-        "@mui/joy": "^5.0.0-beta.32",
-        "@mui/material": "^5.15.11",
+        "@mui/icons-material": "^5.15.15",
+        "@mui/joy": "^5.0.0-beta.36",
+        "@mui/material": "^5.15.15",
         "axios": "^1.6.7",
         "core-js": "^3.36.0",
         "d3": "^7.8.5",
         "dotenv": "^16.4.5",
         "leaflet": "^1.9.4",
         "mapbox-gl": "^3.1.2",
+        "prop-types": "^15.8.1",
         "react": "^18.2.0",
         "react-dom": "^18.2.0",
+        "react-draggable": "^4.4.6",
         "react-leaflet": "^4.2.1",
         "react-map-gl": "^7.1.7",
         "react-query": "^3.39.3",
@@ -15670,6 +15672,27 @@
         "react": "^18.3.1"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/react-draggable": {
+      "version": "4.4.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/react-draggable/-/react-draggable-4.4.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-LtY5Xw1zTPqHkVmtM3X8MUOxNDOUhv/khTgBgrUvwaS064bwVvxT+q5El0uUFNx5IEPKXuRejr7UqLwBIg5pdw==",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "clsx": "^1.1.1",
+        "prop-types": "^15.8.1"
+      },
+      "peerDependencies": {
+        "react": ">= 16.3.0",
+        "react-dom": ">= 16.3.0"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/react-draggable/node_modules/clsx": {
+      "version": "1.2.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/clsx/-/clsx-1.2.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-EcR6r5a8bj6pu3ycsa/E/cKVGuTgZJZdsyUYHOksG/UHIiKfjxzRxYJpyVBwYaQeOvghal9fcc4PidlgzugAQg==",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=6"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/react-is": {
       "version": "18.3.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/react-is/-/react-is-18.3.1.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ec59f33c..5abcda2f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -47,17 +47,19 @@
     "@emotion/react": "^11.11.4",
     "@emotion/styled": "^11.11.5",
     "@fontsource/inter": "^5.0.16",
-    "@mui/icons-material": "^5.15.11",
-    "@mui/joy": "^5.0.0-beta.32",
-    "@mui/material": "^5.15.11",
+    "@mui/icons-material": "^5.15.15",
+    "@mui/joy": "^5.0.0-beta.36",
+    "@mui/material": "^5.15.15",
     "axios": "^1.6.7",
     "core-js": "^3.36.0",
     "d3": "^7.8.5",
     "dotenv": "^16.4.5",
     "leaflet": "^1.9.4",
     "mapbox-gl": "^3.1.2",
+    "prop-types": "^15.8.1",
     "react": "^18.2.0",
     "react-dom": "^18.2.0",
+    "react-draggable": "^4.4.6",
     "react-leaflet": "^4.2.1",
     "react-map-gl": "^7.1.7",
     "react-query": "^3.39.3",
diff --git a/src/app.js b/src/app.js
index 0794220e..fb5a61dd 100644
--- a/src/app.js
+++ b/src/app.js
@@ -1,12 +1,26 @@
 import React, { Fragment } from 'react';
 import { Map } from '@components/map';
+import ObservationDialog from "@components/map/observation-dialog";
+import { useLayers } from '@context';
 import { Sidebar } from '@components/sidebar';
 
 export const App = () => {
-  return (
+    // install the selected observation list from the layer context
+    const {
+        selectedObservations
+    } = useLayers();
+
+    return (
     <Fragment>
-      <Map/>
-      <Sidebar />
-    </Fragment>
-  );
+        {
+            // for each observation selected
+            selectedObservations.map (function (obs) {
+                // render the observation
+                return <ObservationDialog key={obs.station_name} obs={obs} />;
+            })
+        }
+        <Map />
+        <Sidebar />
+     </Fragment>
+    );
 };
diff --git a/src/components/map/default-layers.js b/src/components/map/default-layers.js
index 36d2aacc..0b3b9f0d 100644
--- a/src/components/map/default-layers.js
+++ b/src/components/map/default-layers.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export const DefaultLayers = () => {
     const {
         defaultModelLayers,
         setDefaultModelLayers,
+        setSelectedObservations
     } = useLayers();
 
     // Create the authorization header
@@ -81,6 +82,9 @@ export const DefaultLayers = () => {
             // from the feature.properties.csv_url and create a fancy plot
             console.log("Observation Station '" + feature.properties.location_name + "' clicked");
             markClicked(map, e);
+
+            // populate selectedObservations list with the newly selected observation point
+            setSelectedObservations(previous => [...previous, feature.properties]);
           });
         }
     };
diff --git a/src/components/map/observation-dialog.js b/src/components/map/observation-dialog.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4d0ab9d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/map/observation-dialog.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import React, {Fragment} from 'react';
+import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
+import BaseFloatingDialog from "@utils/base-floating-dialog";
+
+// define the properties of this component
+ObservationDialog.propTypes = {
+  obs_data: PropTypes.object
+};
+
+export default function ObservationDialog(obs_data) {
+    // TODO: the url is put in here but it will eventually
+    //  return a graph using data from this url
+    const graphObj = (url) => {
+        return (
+            <Fragment>
+                <div>
+                    {url}
+                </div>
+            </Fragment>
+        );
+    };
+
+    // create an object for the base dialog
+    const floaterArgs = {title: obs_data.obs.station_name, description: obs_data.obs.location_name, openDialogImmediately:true, "dialogObject": {...graphObj(obs_data.obs.csvurl)}};
+
+    // render the dialog.
+    // the key here will be used to remove the dialog from the selected observation list when the dialog is closed
+    return (
+        <Fragment>
+            <BaseFloatingDialog {...floaterArgs} />
+        </Fragment>
+    );
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/context/map-context.js b/src/context/map-context.js
index e185f0e7..c2632def 100644
--- a/src/context/map-context.js
+++ b/src/context/map-context.js
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ export const useLayers = () => useContext(LayersContext);
 export const LayersProvider = ({ children }) => {
   const [defaultModelLayers, setDefaultModelLayers] = useState([]);
   const [filteredModelLayers, setFilteredModelLayers] = useState([]);
+
+  // this object contains data for graph rendering
+  const [selectedObservations, setSelectedObservations] = useState([]);
+
   const [map, setMap] = useState(null);
 
   const toggleLayerVisibility = id => {
@@ -35,6 +39,8 @@ export const LayersProvider = ({ children }) => {
         filteredModelLayers,
         setFilteredModelLayers,
         toggleLayerVisibility,
+        selectedObservations,
+        setSelectedObservations
       }}
     >
       {children}
diff --git a/src/utils/base-floating-dialog.js b/src/utils/base-floating-dialog.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c598e82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/base-floating-dialog.js
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+import React, {Fragment} from 'react';
+import Draggable from 'react-draggable';
+import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
+
+import Button from '@mui/material/Button';
+import CssBaseline from '@mui/material/CssBaseline';
+import Dialog from '@mui/material/Dialog';
+import DialogActions from '@mui/material/DialogActions';
+import DialogContent from '@mui/material/DialogActions';
+import DialogContentText from '@mui/material/DialogContentText';
+import DialogTitle from '@mui/material/DialogTitle';
+import Paper from '@mui/material/Paper';
+import Slide from '@mui/material/Slide';
+
+import { useLayers } from '@context';
+
+// define the properties of this component
+BaseFloatingDialog.propTypes = {
+  title: PropTypes.string,
+  description: PropTypes.string,
+  openDialogImmediately: PropTypes.bool,
+  dialogObject: PropTypes.any
+};
+
+/**
+ * This is a component that displays a floating dialog with the content passed
+ *
+ * @param title: string
+ * @param description: string
+ * @param openDialogImmediately: boolean
+ * @param dialogObject: {JSX.Element}
+ * @returns {JSX.Element}
+ */
+export default function BaseFloatingDialog({ title, description, openDialogImmediately, dialogObject} ) {
+  // define the dialog open/close session state
+  const [open, setOpen] = React.useState(openDialogImmediately);
+
+  const {
+      selectedObservations,
+      setSelectedObservations
+  } = useLayers();
+
+  /**
+   * the close dialog handler
+   */
+  const handleClose = () => {
+    // close the dialog
+    setOpen(false);
+
+    // remove this item from the selected observations list
+    setSelectedObservations(selectedObservations.filter(item => item.station_name !== title));
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * configure and render the floating dialog
+   */
+  return (
+    <Fragment>
+      <CssBaseline />
+      <Dialog
+        aria-labelledby="draggable-dialog-title"
+        open={open}
+        onClose={handleClose}
+        PaperComponent={PaperComponent}
+        TransitionComponent={Transition}
+        disableEnforceFocus
+        style={{ pointerEvents: 'none'}}
+        PaperProps={{ style: { pointerEvents: 'auto'} }}
+        sx={{ '.MuiBackdrop-root': { backgroundColor: 'transparent' }}}
+      >
+        <DialogTitle sx={{cursor: 'move', backgroundColor: 'lightgray', textAlign: 'center'}} id="draggable-dialog-title"> { "Station: " + title } </DialogTitle>
+
+        <DialogContent sx={{backgroundColor: 'lightblue'}}><DialogContentText> { "Location: " + description } </DialogContentText></DialogContent>
+
+        <DialogContent sx={{backgroundColor: 'lightgreen'}}>{ dialogObject }</DialogContent>
+
+        <DialogActions sx={{backgroundColor: 'lightgray'}}><Button autoFocus onClick={handleClose}> Close </Button></DialogActions>
+      </Dialog>
+    </Fragment>
+  );
+};
+
+/**
+ * This creates a 3D dialog.
+ *
+ * @param props
+ * @returns {JSX.Element}
+ * @constructor
+ */
+function PaperComponent(props) {
+  return (
+    <Draggable handle="#draggable-dialog-title" cancel={'[class*="MuiDialogContent-root"]'}>
+      <Paper {...props} />
+    </Draggable>
+  );
+}
+
+/**
+ * This creates an animated transition for the dialog that pops up
+ * @type {React.ForwardRefExoticComponent<React.PropsWithoutRef<{}> & React.RefAttributes<any>>}
+ */
+const Transition = React.forwardRef(function Transition(props, ref) {
+  return <Slide direction="up" ref={ref} {...props} />;
+});
\ No newline at end of file