diff --git a/doc/docs/Python_Tutorials/Basics.md b/doc/docs/Python_Tutorials/Basics.md
index 0b6df296b..7a5e40de1 100644
--- a/doc/docs/Python_Tutorials/Basics.md
+++ b/doc/docs/Python_Tutorials/Basics.md
@@ -1192,13 +1192,7 @@ sim = mp.Simulation(resolution=50,
                     cell_size=cell_size,
                     geometry=geometry)
 
-sim.init_sim()
-
-eps_data = sim.get_epsilon()
-
-from mayavi import mlab
-s = mlab.contour3d(eps_data, colormap="YlGnBu")
-mlab.show()
+sim.plot3D()
 ```
 
 ![](../images/prism_epsilon.png#center)
diff --git a/doc/docs/images/prism_epsilon.png b/doc/docs/images/prism_epsilon.png
index 2a3fbfe32..0e85cb51f 100644
Binary files a/doc/docs/images/prism_epsilon.png and b/doc/docs/images/prism_epsilon.png differ
diff --git a/python/simulation.py b/python/simulation.py
index 2f3491fc4..093e5baa0 100644
--- a/python/simulation.py
+++ b/python/simulation.py
@@ -4808,14 +4808,25 @@ def plot_fields(self, **kwargs):
 
         return vis.plot_fields(self, **kwargs)
 
-    def plot3D(self):
+    def plot3D(
+        self, save_to_image: bool = False, image_name: str = "sim.png", **kwargs
+    ):
         """
-        Uses Mayavi to render a 3D simulation domain. The simulation object must be 3D.
+        Uses vispy to render a 3D scene of the simulation object. The simulation object must be 3D.
         Can also be embedded in Jupyter notebooks.
+
+        Args:
+            save_to_image: if True, saves the image to a file
+            image_name: the name of the image file to save to
+
+        kwargs: Camera settings.
+            scale_factor: float, camera zoom factor
+            azimuth: float, azimuthal angle in degrees
+            elevation: float, elevation angle in degrees
         """
         import meep.visualization as vis
 
-        return vis.plot3D(self)
+        return vis.plot3D(self, save_to_image, image_name, **kwargs)
 
     def visualize_chunks(self):
         """
diff --git a/python/visualization.py b/python/visualization.py
index 8fe1ac21c..58d13e350 100644
--- a/python/visualization.py
+++ b/python/visualization.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 from matplotlib.figure import Figure
 from typing import Callable, Union, Any, Tuple, List, Optional
 
+
 # ------------------------------------------------------- #
 # Visualization
 # ------------------------------------------------------- #
@@ -398,7 +399,7 @@ def sort_points(xy):
                 ax.plot(
                     [a.y for a in intersection],
                     [a.z for a in intersection],
-                    **line_args
+                    **line_args,
                 )
                 return ax
             # Plot XZ
@@ -406,7 +407,7 @@ def sort_points(xy):
                 ax.plot(
                     [a.x for a in intersection],
                     [a.z for a in intersection],
-                    **line_args
+                    **line_args,
                 )
                 return ax
             # Plot XY
@@ -414,7 +415,7 @@ def sort_points(xy):
                 ax.plot(
                     [a.x for a in intersection],
                     [a.y for a in intersection],
-                    **line_args
+                    **line_args,
                 )
                 return ax
             else:
@@ -988,27 +989,176 @@ def plot2D(
     return ax
 
 
-def plot3D(sim: Simulation):
-    from mayavi import mlab
+def plot3D(sim, save_to_image: bool = False, image_name: str = "sim.png", **kwargs):
+    from vispy.scene.visuals import Box, Mesh
+    from vispy.scene import SceneCanvas, transforms
 
-    if sim.dimensions < 3:
-        raise ValueError("Simulation must have 3 dimensions to visualize 3D")
+    try:
+        from skimage.measure import marching_cubes
+    except:
+        from skimage.measure import marching_cubes_lewiner as marching_cubes
+    from vispy.visuals.filters import ShadingFilter
 
-    xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax, zmin, zmax = box_vertices(
-        sim.geometry_center, sim.cell_size
+    # Set canvas
+    canvas = SceneCanvas(keys="interactive", bgcolor="white")
+
+    view = canvas.central_widget.add_view()
+    view.camera = "turntable"
+
+    # Get domain measurements
+    sim_center, sim_size = sim.geometry_center, sim.cell_size
+
+    xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax, zmin, zmax = mp.visualization.box_vertices(
+        sim_center, sim_size, sim.is_cylindrical
     )
 
-    Nx = int(sim.cell_size.x * sim.resolution) + 1
-    Ny = int(sim.cell_size.y * sim.resolution) + 1
-    Nz = int(sim.cell_size.z * sim.resolution) + 1
+    grid_resolution = sim.resolution
+
+    Nx = int((xmax - xmin) * grid_resolution + 1)
+    Ny = int((ymax - ymin) * grid_resolution + 1)
+    Nz = int((zmax - zmin) * grid_resolution + 1)
 
     xtics = np.linspace(xmin, xmax, Nx)
     ytics = np.linspace(ymin, ymax, Ny)
     ztics = np.linspace(zmin, zmax, Nz)
 
-    eps_data = sim.get_epsilon_grid(xtics, ytics, ztics)
-    s = mlab.contour3d(eps_data, colormap="YlGnBu")
-    return s
+    # Get eps for geometry
+    eps_data = np.round(np.real(sim.get_epsilon_grid(xtics, ytics, ztics)), 2)
+
+    unique = np.unique(np.abs(eps_data)).tolist()
+
+    # Remove background material
+    unique.remove(np.round(np.abs(np.asarray(sim.default_material.epsilon_diag)), 2)[0])
+
+    mesh_midpoint = (sim_size[0] / 2, sim_size[1] / 2, sim_size[2] / 2)
+
+    light_dir = (0, 0, -1, 0)
+
+    # Build geometry
+    for i, eps in enumerate(unique):
+        eps_ = np.array(eps_data.flatten() == eps).astype(int).reshape(eps_data.shape)
+        marching_cube = marching_cubes(
+            eps_,
+            0.99,
+            spacing=(sim.cell_size.x / Nx, sim.cell_size.y / Ny, sim.cell_size.z / Nz),
+        )
+        vertices, faces = marching_cube[0], marching_cube[1]
+
+        mesh = Mesh(
+            vertices,
+            faces,
+            color=(
+                1 - ((i + 1) / len(unique)),
+                1 - ((i + 1) / len(unique)),
+                1 - ((i + 1) / len(unique)),
+                0.8,
+            ),
+        )
+
+        mesh.transform = transforms.MatrixTransform()
+        mesh.transform.translate(np.asarray(sim.geometry_center))
+        shading_filter = ShadingFilter(shininess=100)
+        shading_filter.light_dir = light_dir[:3]
+        mesh.attach(shading_filter)
+        view.add(mesh)
+
+    # Build source
+    thickness = (
+        sim.boundary_layers[0].thickness if not len(sim.boundary_layers) < 1 else 0
+    )
+    for source in sim.sources:
+        size = tuple(source.size)
+        source_box = Box(
+            *size,
+            color=(1, 0, 0, 1),  # red
+        )
+        center = list(source.center)
+        source_box.transform = transforms.MatrixTransform()
+        source_box.transform.translate(np.asarray(mesh_midpoint))
+        source_box.transform.translate(center)
+        source_box.transform.translate(tuple(sim.geometry_center))
+        view.add(source_box)
+
+    # Build monitors
+    for mon in sim.dft_objects:
+        for reg in mon.regions:
+            size = list(reg.size)
+            monitor_box = Box(
+                *size,
+                color=(0, 0, 1, 1),  # blue
+            )
+            center = list(reg.center)
+            monitor_box.transform = transforms.MatrixTransform()
+            vector = [0, 0, 0]
+            vector[reg.direction] = 1
+            vector = mp.Vector3(*vector)
+            monitor_box.transform.translate(tuple(mesh_midpoint))
+            monitor_box.transform.translate(center)
+            monitor_box.transform.translate(tuple(sim.geometry_center))
+            view.add(monitor_box)
+
+    # Build boundaries
+    for box_center_top in [
+        np.add(mesh_midpoint, (0, 0, sim_size[2] / 2 - thickness / 2)),
+        np.subtract(mesh_midpoint, (0, 0, sim_size[2] / 2 - thickness / 2)),
+    ]:
+        box = _build_3d_pml(sim_size[0], sim_size[1], thickness, box_center_top)
+        view.add(box)
+
+    for box_center_right in [
+        np.add(mesh_midpoint, (sim_size[0] / 2 - thickness / 2, 0, 0)),
+        np.subtract(mesh_midpoint, (sim_size[0] / 2 - thickness / 2, 0, 0)),
+    ]:
+        box = _build_3d_pml(thickness, sim_size[1], sim_size[2], box_center_right)
+        view.add(box)
+
+    for box_center_front in [
+        np.add(mesh_midpoint, (0, sim_size[1] / 2 - thickness / 2, 0)),
+        np.subtract(mesh_midpoint, (0, sim_size[1] / 2 - thickness / 2, 0)),
+    ]:
+        box = _build_3d_pml(sim_size[0], thickness, sim_size[2], box_center_front)
+        view.add(box)
+
+    # Camera options
+    view.camera.center = mesh_midpoint
+    view.camera.scale_factor = getattr(
+        kwargs, "scale_factor", 2 * np.linalg.norm(sim_size)
+    )
+    view.camera.elevation = getattr(kwargs, "elevation", 10)
+    view.camera.azimuth = getattr(kwargs, "azimuth", 45)
+    view.camera.transform.imap(light_dir)
+
+    # Plot or save
+    if save_to_image:
+        image = canvas.render()
+        import imageio
+
+        imageio.imwrite(image_name, image)
+
+        return
+
+    canvas.show(run=True)
+
+
+def _build_3d_pml(x: float, y: float, thickness: float, translate: tuple):
+    from vispy.scene.visuals import Box
+    from vispy.scene import transforms
+    from vispy.visuals.filters import WireframeFilter
+
+    box = Box(
+        x,
+        y,
+        thickness,
+        color=(0, 1, 0, 0.2),  # green but transparent
+        # color=None,
+    )
+    box.transform = transforms.MatrixTransform()
+    box.transform.rotate(90, (1, 0, 0))
+    box.transform.translate(translate)
+    wireframe_filter = WireframeFilter(width=2)
+    box.mesh.attach(wireframe_filter)
+
+    return box
 
 
 def visualize_chunks(sim: Simulation):
@@ -1446,7 +1596,7 @@ def to_jshtml(self, fps: int) -> JS_Animation:
                 Nframes=Nframes,
                 fill_frames=fill_frames,
                 interval=interval,
-                **mode_dict
+                **mode_dict,
             )
             return JS_Animation(html_string)