diff --git a/client/src/components/Panels/Buttons/PanelViewButton.vue b/client/src/components/Panels/Menus/PanelViewMenu.vue
similarity index 93%
rename from client/src/components/Panels/Buttons/PanelViewButton.vue
rename to client/src/components/Panels/Menus/PanelViewMenu.vue
index 627e5ad20aaf..50af093e2735 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Panels/Buttons/PanelViewButton.vue
+++ b/client/src/components/Panels/Menus/PanelViewMenu.vue
@@ -2,14 +2,17 @@
     <b-dropdown
         v-b-tooltip.hover.top.noninteractive
         right
+        block
+        no-caret
         title="Show panel options"
         variant="link"
+        toggle-class="text-decoration-none"
         role="menu"
         aria-label="View all tool panel configurations"
-        class="tool-panel-dropdown"
+        class="tool-panel-dropdown w-100"
         size="sm">
         <template v-slot:button-content>
-            <span class="sr-only">View all tool panel configurations</span>
+            <slot name="panel-view-selector"></slot><span class="sr-only">View all tool panel configurations</span>
         </template>
         <PanelViewMenuItem
             :current-panel-view="currentPanelView"
diff --git a/client/src/components/Panels/Buttons/PanelViewMenuItem.vue b/client/src/components/Panels/Menus/PanelViewMenuItem.vue
similarity index 85%
rename from client/src/components/Panels/Buttons/PanelViewMenuItem.vue
rename to client/src/components/Panels/Menus/PanelViewMenuItem.vue
index c895bd6e500a..087f0d19f282 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Panels/Buttons/PanelViewMenuItem.vue
+++ b/client/src/components/Panels/Menus/PanelViewMenuItem.vue
@@ -6,14 +6,7 @@
 </template>
 
 <script>
-const types_to_icons = {
-    default: "undo",
-    generic: "filter",
-    ontology: "sitemap",
-    activity: "project-diagram",
-    publication: "newspaper",
-    training: "graduation-cap",
-};
+import { types_to_icons } from "../utilities";
 
 export default {
     props: {
diff --git a/client/src/components/Panels/ToolPanel.test.js b/client/src/components/Panels/ToolPanel.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7b5575f251c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/Panels/ToolPanel.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+import "jest-location-mock";
+
+import { mount } from "@vue/test-utils";
+import axios from "axios";
+import MockAdapter from "axios-mock-adapter";
+import toolsList from "components/ToolsView/testData/toolsList";
+import toolsListInPanel from "components/ToolsView/testData/toolsListInPanel";
+import flushPromises from "flush-promises";
+import { createPinia } from "pinia";
+import { getLocalVue } from "tests/jest/helpers";
+
+import { useConfig } from "@/composables/config";
+
+import viewsList from "./testData/viewsList";
+import ToolPanel from "./ToolPanel";
+import { types_to_icons } from "./utilities";
+
+const localVue = getLocalVue();
+
+const TEST_PANELS_URI = "/api/tool_panels";
+
+jest.mock("composables/config");
+useConfig.mockReturnValue({
+    config: {},
+    isConfigLoaded: true,
+});
+
+describe("ToolPanel", () => {
+    it("test navigation of tool panel views menu", async () => {
+        const axiosMock = new MockAdapter(axios);
+        axiosMock
+            .onGet(/\/api\/tool_panels\/.*/)
+            .reply(200, toolsListInPanel)
+            .onGet(`/api/tools?in_panel=False`)
+            .replyOnce(200, toolsList)
+            .onGet(TEST_PANELS_URI)
+            .reply(200, { default_panel_view: "default", views: viewsList });
+
+        const pinia = createPinia();
+        const wrapper = mount(ToolPanel, {
+            propsData: {
+                workflow: false,
+                editorWorkflows: null,
+                dataManagers: null,
+                moduleSections: null,
+            },
+            localVue,
+            stubs: {
+                icon: { template: "<div></div>" },
+                ToolBox: true,
+            },
+            pinia,
+        });
+
+        await flushPromises();
+
+        // there is a panel view selector initially collapsed
+        expect(wrapper.find(".panel-view-selector").exists()).toBe(true);
+        expect(wrapper.find(".dropdown-menu.show").exists()).toBe(false);
+
+        // Test: starts up with a default panel view, click to open menu
+        expect(wrapper.find("#toolbox-heading").text()).toBe("Tools");
+        await wrapper.find("#toolbox-heading").trigger("click");
+        await flushPromises();
+
+        const dropdownMenu = wrapper.find(".dropdown-menu.show");
+        expect(dropdownMenu.exists()).toBe(true);
+
+        // Test: check if the dropdown menu has all the panel views
+        const dropdownItems = dropdownMenu.findAll(".dropdown-item");
+        expect(dropdownItems.length).toEqual(Object.keys(viewsList).length);
+
+        // Test: click on each panel view, and check if the panel view is changed
+        for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(viewsList)) {
+            // find dropdown item
+            const currItem = dropdownMenu.find(`[data-panel-id='${key}']`);
+            if (key !== "default") {
+                // Test: check if the panel view has appropriate description
+                const description = currItem.attributes().title || null;
+                expect(description).toBe(value.description);
+
+                // set current panel view
+                await currItem.trigger("click");
+                await flushPromises();
+
+                // Test: check if the current panel view is selected now
+                expect(currItem.find(".fa-check").exists()).toBe(true);
+
+                // Test: check if the panel header now has an icon and a changed name
+                const panelViewIcon = wrapper.find("[data-description='panel view header icon']");
+                expect(panelViewIcon.classes()).toContain(`fa-${types_to_icons[value.view_type]}`);
+                expect(wrapper.find("#toolbox-heading").text()).toBe(value.name);
+            } else {
+                // Test: check if the default panel view is already selected, and no icon
+                expect(currItem.find(".fa-check").exists()).toBe(true);
+                expect(wrapper.find("[data-description='panel view header icon']").exists()).toBe(false);
+            }
+        }
+    });
+});
diff --git a/client/src/components/Panels/ToolPanel.vue b/client/src/components/Panels/ToolPanel.vue
index a4e1a3e9bd18..21ce30b938af 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Panels/ToolPanel.vue
+++ b/client/src/components/Panels/ToolPanel.vue
@@ -1,18 +1,25 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
+import { library } from "@fortawesome/fontawesome-svg-core";
+import { faCaretDown } from "@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons";
+import { FontAwesomeIcon } from "@fortawesome/vue-fontawesome";
 import axios from "axios";
 import { storeToRefs } from "pinia";
-import { onMounted, ref, watch } from "vue";
+import { computed, onMounted, ref, watch } from "vue";
 
 import { getAppRoot } from "@/onload";
-import { useToolStore } from "@/stores/toolStore";
+import { type PanelView, useToolStore } from "@/stores/toolStore";
 import localize from "@/utils/localization";
 
+import { types_to_icons } from "./utilities";
+
 import LoadingSpan from "../LoadingSpan.vue";
 import FavoritesButton from "./Buttons/FavoritesButton.vue";
-import PanelViewButton from "./Buttons/PanelViewButton.vue";
+import PanelViewMenu from "./Menus/PanelViewMenu.vue";
 import ToolBox from "./ToolBox.vue";
 import Heading from "@/components/Common/Heading.vue";
 
+library.add(faCaretDown);
+
 const props = defineProps({
     workflow: { type: Boolean, default: false },
     editorWorkflows: { type: Array, default: null },
@@ -33,7 +40,7 @@ const toolStore = useToolStore();
 const { currentPanelView, isPanelPopulated } = storeToRefs(toolStore);
 
 const query = ref("");
-const panelViews = ref(null);
+const panelViews = ref<Record<string, PanelView> | null>(null);
 const showAdvanced = ref(false);
 
 onMounted(async () => {
@@ -70,6 +77,35 @@ watch(
     }
 );
 
+const toolPanelHeader = computed(() => {
+    if (showAdvanced.value) {
+        return localize("Advanced Tool Search");
+    } else if (
+        currentPanelView.value !== "default" &&
+        panelViews.value &&
+        panelViews.value[currentPanelView.value]?.name
+    ) {
+        return localize(panelViews.value[currentPanelView.value]?.name);
+    } else {
+        return localize("Tools");
+    }
+});
+
+const viewIcon = computed(() => {
+    if (showAdvanced.value) {
+        return "search";
+    } else if (
+        currentPanelView.value !== "default" &&
+        panelViews.value &&
+        typeof panelViews.value[currentPanelView.value]?.view_type === "string"
+    ) {
+        const viewType = panelViews.value[currentPanelView.value]?.view_type;
+        return viewType ? types_to_icons[viewType] : null;
+    } else {
+        return null;
+    }
+});
+
 async function initializeTools() {
     try {
         await toolStore.fetchTools();
@@ -103,25 +139,37 @@ function onInsertWorkflowSteps(workflowId: string, workflowStepCount: number | u
 <template>
     <div v-if="arePanelsFetched" class="unified-panel" aria-labelledby="toolbox-heading">
         <div unselectable="on">
-            <div class="unified-panel-header-inner">
-                <nav class="d-flex justify-content-between mx-3 my-2">
-                    <Heading v-if="!showAdvanced" id="toolbox-heading" h2 inline size="sm">{{
-                        localize("Tools")
-                    }}</Heading>
-                    <Heading v-else id="toolbox-heading" h2 inline size="sm">{{
-                        localize("Advanced Tool Search")
-                    }}</Heading>
-                    <div class="panel-header-buttons">
-                        <b-button-group>
-                            <FavoritesButton v-if="!showAdvanced" :query="query" @onFavorites="(q) => (query = q)" />
-                            <PanelViewButton
-                                v-if="panelViews && Object.keys(panelViews).length > 1"
-                                :panel-views="panelViews"
-                                :current-panel-view="currentPanelView"
-                                @updatePanelView="updatePanelView" />
-                        </b-button-group>
-                    </div>
-                </nav>
+            <div class="unified-panel-header-inner mx-3 my-2 d-flex justify-content-between">
+                <PanelViewMenu
+                    v-if="panelViews && Object.keys(panelViews).length > 1"
+                    :panel-views="panelViews"
+                    :current-panel-view="currentPanelView"
+                    @updatePanelView="updatePanelView">
+                    <template v-slot:panel-view-selector>
+                        <div class="d-flex justify-content-between panel-view-selector">
+                            <div>
+                                <span
+                                    v-if="viewIcon"
+                                    :class="['fas', `fa-${viewIcon}`, 'mr-1']"
+                                    data-description="panel view header icon" />
+                                <Heading
+                                    id="toolbox-heading"
+                                    :class="!showAdvanced && toolPanelHeader !== 'Tools' && 'font-italic'"
+                                    h2
+                                    inline
+                                    size="sm"
+                                    >{{ toolPanelHeader }}
+                                </Heading>
+                            </div>
+                            <div v-if="!showAdvanced" class="panel-header-buttons">
+                                <FontAwesomeIcon icon="caret-down" />
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
+                    </template>
+                </PanelViewMenu>
+                <div v-if="!showAdvanced" class="panel-header-buttons">
+                    <FavoritesButton :query="query" @onFavorites="(q) => (query = q)" />
+                </div>
             </div>
         </div>
         <ToolBox
@@ -145,3 +193,11 @@ function onInsertWorkflowSteps(workflowId: string, workflowStepCount: number | u
         </div>
     </div>
 </template>
+
+<style lang="scss" scoped>
+@import "theme/blue.scss";
+
+.panel-view-selector {
+    color: $panel-header-text-color;
+}
+</style>
diff --git a/client/src/components/Panels/testData/viewsList.json b/client/src/components/Panels/testData/viewsList.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fe156f59cb20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/Panels/testData/viewsList.json
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+{
+    "default": {
+        "id": "default",
+        "model_class": "type",
+        "name": "Full Tool Panel",
+        "description": "Galaxy's fully configured toolbox panel with all sections, tools, and configured workflows loaded.",
+        "view_type": "default",
+        "searchable": true
+    },
+    "ontology:edam_operations": {
+        "id": "ontology:edam_operations",
+        "model_class": "EdamToolPanelView",
+        "name": "EDAM Operations",
+        "description": "Tools are grouped using annotated EDAM operation information (if available).",
+        "view_type": "ontology",
+        "searchable": true
+    },
+    "ontology:edam_topics": {
+        "id": "ontology:edam_topics",
+        "model_class": "EdamToolPanelView",
+        "name": "EDAM Topics",
+        "description": "Tools are grouped using annotated EDAM topic information (if available).",
+        "view_type": "ontology",
+        "searchable": true
+    },
+    "activity_1": {
+        "id": "activity_1",
+        "model_class": "StaticToolPanelView",
+        "name": "Globally Applied Filters",
+        "description": null,
+        "view_type": "activity",
+        "searchable": true
+    },
+    "generic_1": {
+        "id": "generic_1",
+        "model_class": "StaticToolPanelView",
+        "name": "Custom Panel in a New Section",
+        "description": null,
+        "view_type": "generic",
+        "searchable": true
+    },
+    "activity_2": {
+        "id": "activity_2",
+        "model_class": "StaticToolPanelView",
+        "name": "Filtering Tools",
+        "description": null,
+        "view_type": "activity",
+        "searchable": true
+    },
+    "publication_1": {
+        "id": "publication_1",
+        "model_class": "StaticToolPanelView",
+        "name": "Merged Section Example",
+        "description": null,
+        "view_type": "publication",
+        "searchable": true
+    },
+    "training_1": {
+        "id": "training_1",
+        "model_class": "StaticToolPanelView",
+        "name": "Filtered Test Section",
+        "description": null,
+        "view_type": "training",
+        "searchable": true
+    },
+    "generic_2": {
+        "id": "generic_2",
+        "model_class": "StaticToolPanelView",
+        "name": "Merged Section Example",
+        "description": null,
+        "view_type": "generic",
+        "searchable": true
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/src/components/Panels/utilities.ts b/client/src/components/Panels/utilities.ts
index 8bda77394f33..a1e0ff9d8bfe 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Panels/utilities.ts
+++ b/client/src/components/Panels/utilities.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,16 @@ interface SearchMatch {
     order: number;
 }
 
+/** Returns icon for tool panel `view_type` */
+export const types_to_icons = {
+    default: "undo",
+    generic: "filter",
+    ontology: "sitemap",
+    activity: "project-diagram",
+    publication: "newspaper",
+    training: "graduation-cap",
+};
+
 // Converts filterSettings { key: value } to query = "key:value"
 export function createWorkflowQuery(filterSettings: Record<string, string | boolean>) {
     let query = "";
diff --git a/client/src/stores/toolStore.ts b/client/src/stores/toolStore.ts
index 122b07db1a25..e274601ad619 100644
--- a/client/src/stores/toolStore.ts
+++ b/client/src/stores/toolStore.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import axios from "axios";
 import { defineStore } from "pinia";
 import Vue, { computed, Ref, ref } from "vue";
 
-import { createWhooshQuery, filterTools } from "@/components/Panels/utilities";
+import { createWhooshQuery, filterTools, types_to_icons } from "@/components/Panels/utilities";
 import { useUserLocalStorage } from "@/composables/userLocalStorage";
 import { getAppRoot } from "@/onload/loadConfig";
 
@@ -62,6 +62,15 @@ export interface FilterSettings {
     help?: string;
 }
 
+export interface PanelView {
+    id: string;
+    model_class: string;
+    name: string;
+    description: string;
+    view_type: keyof typeof types_to_icons;
+    searchable: boolean;
+}
+
 export const useToolStore = defineStore("toolStore", () => {
     const currentPanelView: Ref<string> = useUserLocalStorage("tool-store-view", "");
     const toolsById = ref<Record<string, Tool>>({});
@@ -168,7 +177,7 @@ export const useToolStore = defineStore("toolStore", () => {
         }
     }
 
-    // Directly related to the ToolPanel
+    // Used to initialize the ToolPanel with the default panel view for this site.
     async function initCurrentPanelView(siteDefaultPanelView: string) {
         if (!loading.value && !isPanelPopulated.value) {
             loading.value = true;
@@ -194,14 +203,22 @@ export const useToolStore = defineStore("toolStore", () => {
 
     async function setCurrentPanelView(panelView: string) {
         if (!loading.value) {
-            currentPanelView.value = panelView;
             if (panel.value[panelView]) {
+                currentPanelView.value = panelView;
                 return;
             }
             loading.value = true;
-            const { data } = await axios.get(`${getAppRoot()}api/tool_panels/${panelView}`);
-            savePanelView(panelView, data);
-            loading.value = false;
+            try {
+                await axios.get(`${getAppRoot()}api/tool_panels/${panelView}`);
+                const { data } = await axios.get(`${getAppRoot()}api/tool_panels/${panelView}`);
+                currentPanelView.value = panelView;
+                savePanelView(panelView, data);
+                loading.value = false;
+            } catch (e) {
+                const error = e as { response: { data: { err_msg: string } } };
+                console.error("Could not change panel view", error.response.data.err_msg ?? error.response);
+                loading.value = false;
+            }
         }
     }