diff --git a/src/__tests__/plugins/pluginsAdmin.test.tsx b/src/__tests__/plugins/pluginsAdmin.test.tsx
index e38ad9933..0a1f4905d 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/plugins/pluginsAdmin.test.tsx
+++ b/src/__tests__/plugins/pluginsAdmin.test.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import type { CmsCurrentUser } from '@core/persistence'
 import { makeSite } from '../fixtures'
 
 const originalFetch = globalThis.fetch
+const originalWindowOpen = window.open
 
 const mapManifest = {
   id: 'local.map',
@@ -152,10 +153,43 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 
 afterEach(() => {
   globalThis.fetch = originalFetch
+  window.open = originalWindowOpen
   cleanup()
 })
 
 describe('PluginsPage', () => {
+  it('opens the community plugin directory from the empty state', async () => {
+    const opened: unknown[][] = []
+    window.open = ((...args: unknown[]) => {
+      opened.push(args)
+      return null
+    }) as typeof window.open
+    globalThis.fetch = async (input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit) => {
+      const url = String(input)
+      if (url === '/admin/api/cms/plugins' && init?.method === 'GET') {
+        return json({ plugins: [], adminPages: [] })
+      }
+      const ambient = ambientFetchFallback(url)
+      if (ambient) return ambient
+      return json({ error: `Unhandled ${url}` }, 500)
+    }
+
+    render(
+      <Wrapper>
+        <PluginsPage />
+      </Wrapper>,
+    )
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText('No plugins installed yet.')).toBeDefined()
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Find Community Plugins' }))
+
+    expect(opened).toEqual([[
+      'https://github.com/topics/instatic-plugin',
+      '_blank',
+      'noopener,noreferrer',
+    ]])
+  })
+
   it('lists active plugins and can disable or remove them', async () => {
     const calls: Array<{ input: RequestInfo | URL; init?: RequestInit }> = []
     globalThis.fetch = async (input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit) => {
diff --git a/src/admin/pages/plugins/PluginsPage.module.css b/src/admin/pages/plugins/PluginsPage.module.css
index f1444b2db..c7db281b1 100644
--- a/src/admin/pages/plugins/PluginsPage.module.css
+++ b/src/admin/pages/plugins/PluginsPage.module.css
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@
     white-space: nowrap;
 }
 
-.error,
-.emptyState {
+.error {
     margin: 0;
     font-size: var(--text-s);
     line-height: 1.5;
@@ -56,13 +55,33 @@
 }
 
 .emptyState {
+    display: grid;
+    justify-items: center;
+    gap: var(--space-m);
     padding: var(--space-6xl);
     border: 1px dashed var(--overlay-10);
-    border-radius: 8px;
+    border-radius: var(--editor-radius);
     color: var(--text-subtle);
     text-align: center;
 }
 
+.emptyState h2,
+.emptyState p {
+    margin: 0;
+}
+
+.emptyState h2 {
+    color: var(--text);
+    font-size: var(--text-l);
+    line-height: 1.35;
+}
+
+.emptyState p {
+    max-width: 560px;
+    font-size: var(--text-s);
+    line-height: 1.5;
+}
+
 .pluginsList {
     display: grid;
     gap: var(--space-px);
diff --git a/src/admin/pages/plugins/PluginsPage.tsx b/src/admin/pages/plugins/PluginsPage.tsx
index 85f38d56a..e133ad02a 100644
--- a/src/admin/pages/plugins/PluginsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/admin/pages/plugins/PluginsPage.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { Button } from '@ui/components/Button'
+import { ExternalLinkSolidIcon } from 'pixel-art-icons/icons/external-link-solid'
 import { UploadIcon } from 'pixel-art-icons/icons/upload'
 import { AdminPageLayout } from '@admin/layouts/AdminPageLayout'
 import { PluginCard } from './components/PluginCard/PluginCard'
@@ -21,6 +22,11 @@ import styles from './PluginsPage.module.css'
 // (e.g. host plugins + Analytics). PluginCard's `loading` prop owns
 // the actual skeleton markup — page-level code only decides count.
 const SKELETON_CARD_COUNT = 3
+const COMMUNITY_PLUGIN_DIRECTORY_URL = 'https://github.com/topics/instatic-plugin'
+
+function openCommunityPluginDirectory(): void {
+  window.open(COMMUNITY_PLUGIN_DIRECTORY_URL, '_blank', 'noopener,noreferrer')
+}
 
 export function PluginsPage() {
   const currentUser = useAuthenticatedAdminUser()
@@ -48,28 +54,40 @@ export function PluginsPage() {
       workspace="plugins"
       title="Plugins"
       titleId="plugins-title"
-      description="Install admin extensions and control what they add to the CMS."
-      actions={canInstall ? (
+      description="Discover community extensions, install packages, and control what they add to the CMS."
+      actions={(
         <>
           <Button
-            variant="primary"
+            variant="secondary"
             size="md"
-            disabled={uploading}
-            onClick={() => fileInputRef.current?.click()}
+            onClick={openCommunityPluginDirectory}
           >
-            <UploadIcon size={15} aria-hidden="true" />
-            <span>{uploading ? 'Uploading' : 'Upload Plugin'}</span>
+            <ExternalLinkSolidIcon size={15} aria-hidden="true" />
+            <span>Browse Community Plugins</span>
           </Button>
-          <input
-            ref={fileInputRef}
-            className={styles.fileInput}
-            aria-label="Plugin file"
-            type="file"
-            accept="application/json,.json,.plugin.json,.pbplugin,.zip,application/zip"
-            onChange={(event) => void vm.handleUpload(event)}
-          />
+          {canInstall && (
+            <>
+              <Button
+                variant="primary"
+                size="md"
+                disabled={uploading}
+                onClick={() => fileInputRef.current?.click()}
+              >
+                <UploadIcon size={15} aria-hidden="true" />
+                <span>{uploading ? 'Uploading' : 'Upload Plugin'}</span>
+              </Button>
+              <input
+                ref={fileInputRef}
+                className={styles.fileInput}
+                aria-label="Plugin file"
+                type="file"
+                accept="application/json,.json,.plugin.json,.pbplugin,.zip,application/zip"
+                onChange={(event) => void vm.handleUpload(event)}
+              />
+            </>
+          )}
         </>
-      ) : null}
+      )}
     >
       <div className={styles.pluginsBody} data-testid="plugins-admin-canvas">
         {error && (
@@ -144,7 +162,22 @@ export function PluginsPage() {
               <PluginCard key={i} loading />
             ))
           ) : payload.plugins.length === 0 ? (
-            <p className={styles.emptyState}>No plugins installed yet.</p>
+            <div className={styles.emptyState}>
+              <h2>No plugins installed yet.</h2>
+              <p>
+                Browse community plugins on GitHub, download a release ZIP,
+                then upload it here. Review the source and requested permissions
+                before installing any community package.
+              </p>
+              <Button
+                variant="secondary"
+                size="md"
+                onClick={openCommunityPluginDirectory}
+              >
+                <ExternalLinkSolidIcon size={15} aria-hidden="true" />
+                <span>Find Community Plugins</span>
+              </Button>
+            </div>
           ) : (
             payload.plugins.map((plugin) => (
               <PluginCard