diff --git a/dashboard/src/components/nv-app.ts b/dashboard/src/components/nv-app.ts
index 546119d0..54576b6c 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/components/nv-app.ts
+++ b/dashboard/src/components/nv-app.ts
@@ -19,12 +19,13 @@ import './nv-settings-drawer';
 import './nv-onboarding';
 import './nv-ghost-murmur';
 import './nv-help';
+import './nv-home';
 
-export type View = 'scene' | 'apps' | 'inspector' | 'witness' | 'ghost-murmur';
+export type View = 'home' | 'scene' | 'apps' | 'inspector' | 'witness' | 'ghost-murmur';
 
 @customElement('nv-app')
 export class NvApp extends LitElement {
-  @state() private view: View = 'scene';
+  @state() private view: View = 'home';
 
   static styles = css`
     :host {
@@ -99,15 +100,17 @@ export class NvApp extends LitElement {
         <nv-topbar></nv-topbar>
         <nv-sidebar></nv-sidebar>
         <main class="main" id="main-content" tabindex="-1" role="main" aria-label="Main view">
-          ${this.view === 'apps'
-            ? html`<nv-app-store></nv-app-store>`
-            : this.view === 'ghost-murmur'
-              ? html`<nv-ghost-murmur></nv-ghost-murmur>`
-              : this.view === 'inspector'
-                ? html`<nv-inspector expanded .pinTab=${'signal'}></nv-inspector>`
-                : this.view === 'witness'
-                  ? html`<nv-inspector expanded .pinTab=${'witness'}></nv-inspector>`
-                  : html`<nv-scene></nv-scene>`}
+          ${this.view === 'home'
+            ? html`<nv-home></nv-home>`
+            : this.view === 'apps'
+              ? html`<nv-app-store></nv-app-store>`
+              : this.view === 'ghost-murmur'
+                ? html`<nv-ghost-murmur></nv-ghost-murmur>`
+                : this.view === 'inspector'
+                  ? html`<nv-inspector expanded .pinTab=${'signal'}></nv-inspector>`
+                  : this.view === 'witness'
+                    ? html`<nv-inspector expanded .pinTab=${'witness'}></nv-inspector>`
+                    : html`<nv-scene></nv-scene>`}
         </main>
         <nv-inspector
           .pinTab=${this.view === 'inspector' ? 'signal'
diff --git a/dashboard/src/components/nv-home.ts b/dashboard/src/components/nv-home.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..39fd97e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboard/src/components/nv-home.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,270 @@
+/* Home view — friendly landing surface for new users.
+ *
+ * The full-power scene + sidebar + inspector + console are intentionally
+ * dense; that's the operator surface. Home is for first-time visitors:
+ * a single hero CTA, four quick-jump action cards, and a 1-paragraph
+ * explanation of what this dashboard is. No jargon above the fold.
+ */
+
+import { LitElement, html, css } from 'lit';
+import { customElement } from 'lit/decorators.js';
+import { effect } from '@preact/signals-core';
+import { running, getClient, witnessVerified, fps, pushLog } from '../store/appStore';
+
+export type Action = 'scene' | 'apps' | 'witness' | 'ghost-murmur' | 'help' | 'tour';
+
+@customElement('nv-home')
+export class NvHome extends LitElement {
+  static styles = css`
+    :host {
+      display: block;
+      height: 100%;
+      overflow-y: auto;
+      background: radial-gradient(ellipse at 50% 30%, var(--bg-2) 0%, var(--bg-0) 70%);
+      padding: 28px clamp(16px, 6vw, 56px) 60px;
+    }
+    .hero {
+      max-width: 800px;
+      margin: 16px auto 28px;
+      text-align: center;
+    }
+    .hero .icon {
+      width: 56px; height: 56px;
+      margin: 0 auto 18px;
+      border-radius: 14px;
+      background: linear-gradient(135deg, oklch(0.78 0.14 70) 0%, oklch(0.55 0.16 30) 100%);
+      display: grid; place-items: center;
+      font-family: var(--mono);
+      font-weight: 700;
+      font-size: 18px;
+      color: #1a0f00;
+      box-shadow: 0 8px 24px -6px oklch(0.55 0.16 30 / 0.4);
+    }
+    .hero h1 {
+      margin: 0 0 8px;
+      font-size: clamp(24px, 4vw, 34px);
+      letter-spacing: -0.02em;
+      color: var(--ink);
+      line-height: 1.15;
+    }
+    .hero .tag {
+      font-size: clamp(13px, 1.6vw, 15px);
+      color: var(--ink-2);
+      margin: 0 0 22px;
+      line-height: 1.55;
+    }
+    .hero .ctas {
+      display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 8px;
+      justify-content: center;
+    }
+    .cta {
+      padding: 11px 20px;
+      border-radius: 10px;
+      font-size: 14px;
+      font-weight: 600;
+      cursor: pointer;
+      font-family: inherit;
+      border: 1px solid var(--line);
+      background: var(--bg-2);
+      color: var(--ink);
+      transition: transform 0.12s, border-color 0.12s, filter 0.12s;
+    }
+    .cta:hover { transform: translateY(-1px); border-color: var(--line-2); }
+    .cta.primary {
+      background: var(--accent);
+      border-color: var(--accent);
+      color: #1a0f00;
+    }
+    .cta.primary:hover { filter: brightness(1.08); }
+    .status {
+      display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px;
+      padding: 6px 12px;
+      background: var(--bg-2);
+      border: 1px solid var(--line);
+      border-radius: 999px;
+      font-size: 12px;
+      font-family: var(--mono);
+      color: var(--ink-2);
+      margin-top: 18px;
+    }
+    .status .dot {
+      width: 8px; height: 8px; border-radius: 50%;
+      background: var(--ink-3);
+    }
+    .status.live .dot {
+      background: var(--ok);
+      box-shadow: 0 0 8px var(--ok);
+      animation: pulse 2s infinite;
+    }
+    @keyframes pulse { 50% { opacity: 0.5; } }
+
+    .grid {
+      max-width: 980px;
+      margin: 36px auto 0;
+      display: grid;
+      grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(260px, 1fr));
+      gap: 14px;
+    }
+    .card {
+      background: var(--bg-2);
+      border: 1px solid var(--line);
+      border-radius: var(--radius);
+      padding: 18px 20px;
+      cursor: pointer;
+      transition: transform 0.12s, border-color 0.12s, background 0.12s;
+      display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 6px;
+      text-align: left;
+      color: inherit;
+    }
+    .card:hover {
+      transform: translateY(-2px);
+      border-color: var(--accent);
+      background: linear-gradient(180deg, var(--bg-2) 0%, oklch(0.78 0.14 70 / 0.04) 100%);
+    }
+    .card .ico {
+      font-size: 22px;
+      line-height: 1;
+      margin-bottom: 4px;
+    }
+    .card h3 {
+      margin: 0;
+      font-size: 14.5px;
+      font-weight: 600;
+      color: var(--ink);
+      letter-spacing: -0.01em;
+    }
+    .card p {
+      margin: 0;
+      font-size: 12.5px;
+      color: var(--ink-2);
+      line-height: 1.55;
+    }
+    .card .arrow {
+      color: var(--accent);
+      font-family: var(--mono);
+      font-size: 11.5px;
+      margin-top: 6px;
+    }
+
+    .footnote {
+      max-width: 800px;
+      margin: 36px auto 0;
+      text-align: center;
+      font-size: 12px;
+      color: var(--ink-3);
+      line-height: 1.55;
+    }
+    .footnote code {
+      font-family: var(--mono);
+      background: var(--bg-3);
+      padding: 1px 5px;
+      border-radius: 4px;
+      color: var(--accent);
+      font-size: 11px;
+    }
+    .footnote a {
+      color: var(--accent-2);
+      text-decoration: underline dotted;
+      cursor: pointer;
+    }
+  `;
+
+  override connectedCallback(): void {
+    super.connectedCallback();
+    effect(() => { running.value; witnessVerified.value; fps.value; this.requestUpdate(); });
+  }
+
+  private go(action: Action): void {
+    if (action === 'tour') { window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('nv-show-tour')); return; }
+    if (action === 'help') { window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('nv-show-help')); return; }
+    this.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('navigate', { detail: action, bubbles: true, composed: true }));
+  }
+
+  private async runDemo(): Promise<void> {
+    const c = getClient(); if (!c) return;
+    if (running.value) return;
+    await c.run();
+    running.value = true;
+    pushLog('ok', 'demo started · streaming MagFrames');
+  }
+
+  override render() {
+    const isRunning = running.value;
+    const wasVerified = witnessVerified.value === 'ok';
+    return html`
+      <div class="hero">
+        <div class="icon" aria-hidden="true">NV</div>
+        <h1>An open-source quantum-magnetometer simulator, in your browser.</h1>
+        <p class="tag">
+          nvsim runs a real Rust simulator (the same code that
+          <code style="font-family:var(--mono); background:var(--bg-3); padding:1px 5px; border-radius:4px; color:var(--accent); font-size:12px;">cargo&nbsp;test</code>
+          uses) entirely in WebAssembly. No server, no upload, no telemetry.
+          Press the button to start the live magnetic-field simulation, or
+          take the 60-second tour first.
+        </p>
+        <div class="ctas">
+          <button class="cta primary" id="home-run-btn" @click=${() => this.runDemo()}>
+            ${isRunning ? '✓ Demo running' : '▶ Run the simulation'}
+          </button>
+          <button class="cta" id="home-tour-btn" @click=${() => this.go('tour')}>
+            ★ Take the 60-second tour
+          </button>
+          <button class="cta" id="home-help-btn" @click=${() => this.go('help')}>
+            ? Help center
+          </button>
+        </div>
+        <div class="status ${isRunning ? 'live' : ''}">
+          <span class="dot"></span>
+          ${isRunning
+            ? html`Live · ${fps.value > 0 ? (fps.value / 1000).toFixed(2) + ' kHz' : 'starting…'}${wasVerified ? ' · witness verified ✓' : ''}`
+            : html`Idle${wasVerified ? ' · witness verified ✓' : ''}`}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <div class="grid">
+        <div class="card" tabindex="0" role="button"
+          @click=${() => this.go('scene')}
+          @keydown=${(e: KeyboardEvent) => { if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') { e.preventDefault(); this.go('scene'); } }}>
+          <div class="ico">🌐</div>
+          <h3>Live scene</h3>
+          <p>Drag magnetic sources, watch the recovered field update in real time, and tweak sample rate / noise / integration.</p>
+          <div class="arrow">Open scene →</div>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="card" tabindex="0" role="button"
+          @click=${() => this.go('apps')}
+          @keydown=${(e: KeyboardEvent) => { if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') { e.preventDefault(); this.go('apps'); } }}>
+          <div class="ico">🛍</div>
+          <h3>App Store · 66 edge apps</h3>
+          <p>Browse 65 hot-loadable WASM sensing modules across medical, security, building, retail, industrial, learning. Six run live in the browser.</p>
+          <div class="arrow">Browse the catalogue →</div>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="card" tabindex="0" role="button"
+          @click=${() => this.go('witness')}
+          @keydown=${(e: KeyboardEvent) => { if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') { e.preventDefault(); this.go('witness'); } }}>
+          <div class="ico">✓</div>
+          <h3>Determinism gate</h3>
+          <p>Re-derive the SHA-256 witness for the canonical reference scene right here in your browser. Same inputs → same hash, every time.</p>
+          <div class="arrow">Verify the witness →</div>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="card" tabindex="0" role="button"
+          @click=${() => this.go('ghost-murmur')}
+          @keydown=${(e: KeyboardEvent) => { if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') { e.preventDefault(); this.go('ghost-murmur'); } }}>
+          <div class="ico">👻</div>
+          <h3>Ghost Murmur reality check</h3>
+          <p>Audit the publicly-reported April 2026 CIA NV-diamond program against published physics. Live distance/moment sliders.</p>
+          <div class="arrow">Read the spec →</div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <p class="footnote">
+        New here? <a @click=${() => this.go('tour')}>Take the 60-second guided tour</a>
+        — every panel is explained. Or press <code>?</code> for the help center
+        (quickstart, glossary, FAQ, shortcuts) any time.<br>
+        Open source · Apache-2.0 OR MIT · <code>github.com/ruvnet/RuView</code>
+      </p>
+    `;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/dashboard/src/components/nv-rail.ts b/dashboard/src/components/nv-rail.ts
index c9b00574..dd7bb848 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/components/nv-rail.ts
+++ b/dashboard/src/components/nv-rail.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,12 @@ export class NvRail extends LitElement {
       <div class="logo" aria-hidden="true">NV</div>
       <nav role="navigation" aria-label="Primary"
         style="display:flex; flex-direction:column; align-items:center; gap:4px; flex:1;">
+      <button class="btn ${this.view === 'home' ? 'active' : ''}"
+        data-id="home-btn" title="Home" aria-label="Home"
+        aria-current=${this.view === 'home' ? 'page' : 'false'}
+        @click=${() => this.navigate('home')}>
+        <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M3 12L12 4l9 8M5 10v10h14V10"/></svg>
+      </button>
       <button class="btn ${this.view === 'scene' ? 'active' : ''}"
         data-id="scene-btn" title="Scene" aria-label="Scene"
         aria-current=${this.view === 'scene' ? 'page' : 'false'}