diff --git a/webui-src/app/chat/chat.js b/webui-src/app/chat/chat.js
index dedb9c3..558ca14 100644
--- a/webui-src/app/chat/chat.js
+++ b/webui-src/app/chat/chat.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const peopleUtil = require('people/people_util');
 const people = require('people/people');
 const chatState = require('chat/chat_state');
 const chatEmoji = require('chat/chat_emoji');
+const HistoryBrowserModal = require('people/people_history');
 
 const {
   get64Num,
@@ -235,32 +236,45 @@ const ChatRoomHeader = () => {
         ]),
         m('.chat-header-actions', [
           isDistant
-            ? m(
-                'button.red',
-                {
-                  title: 'Leave Distant Chat',
-                  onclick: () => {
-                    if (confirm('Are you sure you want to leave this distant chat conversation?')) {
-                      rs.rsJsonApiRequest(
-                        '/rsChats/closeDistantChatConnexion',
-                        {
-                          pid: lobbyHexId,
-                        },
-                        (data, success) => {
-                          if (success) {
-                            ChatLobbyModel.stopStatusPolling();
-                            ChatHubState.selectedRoom = null;
-                            ChatHubState.selectedRoomId = null;
-                            ChatHubState.selectedRoomType = null;
-                            m.route.set('/chat');
-                          }
-                        }
-                      );
+            ? [
+                m(
+                  'button.blue',
+                  {
+                    title: 'View distant chat history',
+                    style: 'margin-right: 0.75rem;',
+                    onclick: () => {
+                      ChatHubState.showHistoryModal = true;
                     }
                   },
-                },
-                [m('i.fas.fa-sign-out-alt'), ' Leave Chat']
-              )
+                  [m('i.fas.fa-history'), ' History']
+                ),
+                m(
+                  'button.red',
+                  {
+                    title: 'Leave Distant Chat',
+                    onclick: () => {
+                      if (confirm('Are you sure you want to leave this distant chat conversation?')) {
+                        rs.rsJsonApiRequest(
+                          '/rsChats/closeDistantChatConnexion',
+                          {
+                            pid: lobbyHexId,
+                          },
+                          (data, success) => {
+                            if (success) {
+                              ChatLobbyModel.stopStatusPolling();
+                              ChatHubState.selectedRoom = null;
+                              ChatHubState.selectedRoomId = null;
+                              ChatHubState.selectedRoomType = null;
+                              m.route.set('/chat');
+                            }
+                          }
+                        );
+                      }
+                    },
+                  },
+                  [m('i.fas.fa-sign-out-alt'), ' Leave Chat']
+                )
+              ]
             : [
                 m(
                   'button',
@@ -274,6 +288,17 @@ const ChatRoomHeader = () => {
                   },
                   [m('i.fas.fa-user-plus'), ' Invite']
                 ),
+                m(
+                  'button.blue',
+                  {
+                    title: 'View chat room history',
+                    style: 'margin-right: 0.75rem;',
+                    onclick: () => {
+                      ChatHubState.showHistoryModal = true;
+                    }
+                  },
+                  [m('i.fas.fa-history'), ' History']
+                ),
                 m(
                   'button.red',
                   {
@@ -557,6 +582,7 @@ const ChatConversationView = () => {
               ])
             ])
           ]),
+          m(HistoryBrowserModal, { isRoom: true }),
         ]),
         m('.chat-hub-rightbar', [
           m('.rightbar-title', 'Participants'),
diff --git a/webui-src/app/chat/chat_state.js b/webui-src/app/chat/chat_state.js
index 3d04b1d..996a156 100644
--- a/webui-src/app/chat/chat_state.js
+++ b/webui-src/app/chat/chat_state.js
@@ -532,6 +532,38 @@ const ChatLobbyModel = {
       }
     );
   },
+  loadAllHistoryForRoom(lobbyId, callback) {
+    ChatHubState.isHistoryLoading = true;
+    ChatHubState.fullHistoryMessages = [];
+    m.redraw();
+
+    const chatType = this.currentLobby && this.currentLobby.chatType;
+    const isDistant = chatType === 2;
+
+    const chatPeerId = {
+      broadcast_status_peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
+      type: isDistant ? 2 : 3,
+      peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
+      distant_chat_id: isDistant ? (lobbyId || '') : '00000000000000000000000000000000',
+      lobby_id: { xstr64: isDistant ? '0' : (lobbyId || '0') },
+    };
+
+    rs.rsJsonApiRequest(
+      '/rsHistory/getMessages',
+      {
+        chatPeerId: chatPeerId,
+        loadCount: 0,
+      },
+      (data, success) => {
+        let msgs = (success && data && data.msgs) ? data.msgs : [];
+        msgs.sort((a, b) => (a.sendTime || a.recvTime) - (b.sendTime || b.recvTime));
+        ChatHubState.fullHistoryMessages = msgs;
+        ChatHubState.isHistoryLoading = false;
+        m.redraw();
+        if (callback) callback();
+      }
+    );
+  },
   setupAction: (lobbyId, nick) => { },
   setIdentity(lobbyId, nick) {
     rs.rsJsonApiRequest(
@@ -772,6 +804,10 @@ const ChatHubState = {
   showInviteModal: false,
   friendsList: [],
   selectedFriendsToInvite: new Set(),
+  showHistoryModal: false,
+  historySearchQuery: '',
+  fullHistoryMessages: [],
+  isHistoryLoading: false,
 };
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/webui-src/app/people/people_chat_tab.js b/webui-src/app/people/people_chat_tab.js
index 6c9b830..edff5cf 100644
--- a/webui-src/app/people/people_chat_tab.js
+++ b/webui-src/app/people/people_chat_tab.js
@@ -8,10 +8,12 @@ const {
   initializeDistantChat,
   sendDistantChatMessage,
   stopStatusPolling,
+  loadAllHistoryForSelectedPeer,
 } = require('people/people_state');
 const { renderChatMessage } = require('chat/chat_state');
 const chatEmoji = require('chat/chat_emoji');
 const peopleUtil = require('people/people_util');
+const HistoryBrowserModal = require('people/people_history');
 
 // Mirroring C++ Distant Chat packet size limit (200KB)
 function formatChatImage(file, callback) {
@@ -98,6 +100,14 @@ const ChatTab = () => {
 
       const canTalk = State.distantChatStatus && State.distantChatStatus.status === 2;
 
+      // Filter history by search query for history modal
+      const query = (State.historySearchQuery || '').toLowerCase();
+      const filteredHistory = (State.fullHistoryMessages || []).filter((msg) => {
+        if (!query) return true;
+        const text = (msg.msg || msg.message || '').toLowerCase();
+        return text.includes(query);
+      });
+
       return m('.network-chat-view', [
         m('.chat-identity-select-container', {
           style: 'padding: 0.5rem 1rem; background-color: #ffffff; border-bottom: 1px solid #cbd5e1; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between; font-size: 0.85rem;',
@@ -113,7 +123,7 @@ const ChatTab = () => {
               title: getStatusTooltip(State.distantChatStatus ? State.distantChatStatus.status : 0),
             }),
           ]),
-          m('.chat-actions', { style: 'display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 1rem;' }, [
+          m('.chat-actions', { style: 'display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.75rem;' }, [
             m('.select-own-profile', { style: 'display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.5rem;' }, [
               m('span', { style: 'color: #64748b;' }, 'Chatting as:'),
               (() => {
@@ -137,6 +147,18 @@ const ChatTab = () => {
                 ]);
               })(),
             ]),
+            m('button.blue.history-btn', {
+              style: 'padding: 0.25rem 0.75rem; border-radius: 0.25rem; font-size: 0.85rem; display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.35rem; border: none; cursor: pointer; background-color: #3b82f6; color: #ffffff; font-weight: 600;',
+              title: 'View all past chat history with this contact',
+              onclick: () => {
+                State.showHistoryModal = true;
+                State.historySearchQuery = '';
+                loadAllHistoryForSelectedPeer();
+              },
+            }, [
+              m('i.fas.fa-history', { style: 'color: #ffffff;' }),
+              'History',
+            ]),
             m('button.red.leave-btn', {
               style: 'padding: 0.25rem 0.75rem; border-radius: 0.25rem; font-size: 0.85rem; display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.25rem; border: none; cursor: pointer; background-color: #ef4444; color: #ffffff;',
               onclick: () => {
@@ -304,6 +326,9 @@ const ChatTab = () => {
             },
           }, [m('i.fas.fa-paper-plane'), ' Send']),
         ]),
+
+        // Chat History Browser Modal
+        m(HistoryBrowserModal),
       ]);
     },
   };
diff --git a/webui-src/app/people/people_history.js b/webui-src/app/people/people_history.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce43094
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webui-src/app/people/people_history.js
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+const m = require('mithril');
+const rs = require('rswebui');
+const peopleState = require('people/people_state');
+const chatState = require('chat/chat_state');
+
+const HistoryBrowserModal = () => {
+  return {
+    oninit: (vnode) => {
+      const isRoom = vnode.attrs && vnode.attrs.isRoom;
+      if (isRoom) {
+        chatState.ChatHubState.historySearchQuery = '';
+        const lobbyId = chatState.ChatLobbyModel.currentLobby ? rs.idToHex(chatState.ChatLobbyModel.currentLobby.lobby_id) : null;
+        if (lobbyId) {
+          chatState.ChatLobbyModel.loadAllHistoryForRoom(lobbyId);
+        }
+      } else {
+        peopleState.State.historySearchQuery = '';
+        peopleState.loadAllHistoryForSelectedPeer();
+      }
+    },
+    view: (vnode) => {
+      const isRoom = vnode.attrs && vnode.attrs.isRoom;
+      const stateObj = isRoom ? chatState.ChatHubState : peopleState.State;
+
+      if (!stateObj.showHistoryModal) return null;
+
+      let name = 'Chat History';
+      if (isRoom) {
+        const lobby = chatState.ChatLobbyModel.currentLobby;
+        name = lobby ? lobby.lobby_name : 'Chat Room';
+      } else {
+        const details = peopleState.State.selectedId ? peopleState.State.gxsIdToDetailsMap[peopleState.State.selectedId] : null;
+        name = details ? (details.mNickname || details.mGroupName || 'Contact') : 'Contact';
+      }
+
+      const query = (stateObj.historySearchQuery || '').toLowerCase();
+      const filteredHistory = (stateObj.fullHistoryMessages || []).filter((msg) => {
+        if (!query) return true;
+        const text = (msg.msg || msg.message || '').toLowerCase();
+        return text.includes(query);
+      });
+
+      return m('.history-modal-overlay', {
+        style: 'position: fixed; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100vw; height: 100vh; background-color: rgba(15, 23, 42, 0.4); backdrop-filter: blur(4px); display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2000;',
+        onclick: (e) => {
+          if (e.target === e.currentTarget) stateObj.showHistoryModal = false;
+        }
+      }, [
+        m('.history-modal', {
+          style: 'background: #ffffff; border-radius: 0.5rem; width: 780px; max-width: 92%; height: 85vh; max-height: 85vh; display: flex; flex-direction: column; box-shadow: 0 20px 25px -5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); overflow: hidden;'
+        }, [
+          // Header
+          m('.history-modal-header', {
+            style: 'padding: 1rem 1.25rem; background: #f8fafc; border-bottom: 1px solid #e2e8f0; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between;'
+          }, [
+            m('.history-title', { style: 'display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.5rem;' }, [
+              m('i.fas.fa-history', { style: 'color: #3b82f6; font-size: 1.2rem;' }),
+              m('h3', { style: 'margin: 0; font-size: 1.1rem; font-weight: 700; color: #1e293b;' }, `Chat History Browser — ${name}`),
+            ]),
+            m('button.close-btn', {
+              style: 'background: transparent; border: none; font-size: 1.25rem; color: #64748b; cursor: pointer; padding: 0.25rem; border-radius: 0.25rem;',
+              title: 'Close history browser',
+              onclick: () => (stateObj.showHistoryModal = false),
+            }, m('i.fas.fa-times')),
+          ]),
+
+          // Toolbar
+          m('.history-toolbar', {
+            style: 'padding: 0.75rem 1.25rem; background: #ffffff; border-bottom: 1px solid #f1f5f9; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between; gap: 1rem;'
+          }, [
+            m('.search-input-box', { style: 'position: relative; flex: 1;' }, [
+              m('i.fas.fa-search', { style: 'position: absolute; left: 0.75rem; top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%); color: #94a3b8; font-size: 0.85rem;' }),
+              m('input[type=text][placeholder=Search past messages or keywords...]', {
+                style: 'width: 100%; padding: 0.4rem 0.75rem 0.4rem 2.2rem; border-radius: 0.375rem; border: 1px solid #cbd5e1; outline: none; font-size: 0.85rem;',
+                value: stateObj.historySearchQuery || '',
+                oninput: (e) => (stateObj.historySearchQuery = e.target.value),
+              }),
+            ]),
+            m('span.history-count', { style: 'font-size: 0.85rem; color: #64748b; font-weight: 600;' },
+              `${filteredHistory.length} messages`
+            ),
+          ]),
+
+          // Message Body
+          m('.history-message-list', {
+            style: 'flex: 1; overflow-y: auto; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 0.75rem; background: #f8fafc;'
+          }, [
+            stateObj.isHistoryLoading
+              ? m('.loading-spinner', { style: 'text-align: center; padding: 3rem; color: #64748b;' }, [
+                  m('i.fas.fa-spinner.fa-spin', { style: 'font-size: 2rem; margin-bottom: 0.75rem; color: #3b82f6;' }),
+                  m('p', { style: 'font-weight: 600;' }, 'Fetching complete chat history from Retroshare database...'),
+                ])
+              : filteredHistory.length === 0
+                ? m('.empty-history', { style: 'text-align: center; padding: 3rem; color: #64748b;' }, [
+                    m('i.far.fa-comments', { style: 'font-size: 2.5rem; color: #cbd5e1; margin-bottom: 0.75rem;' }),
+                    m('p', 'No past chat messages found matching your query.'),
+                  ])
+                : filteredHistory.map((msg) => {
+                    const isIncoming = msg.incoming;
+                    let senderName = msg.peerName || (isIncoming ? name : 'You');
+                    if (!isIncoming) {
+                      const ownId = isRoom ? (chatState.ChatLobbyModel.currentLobby ? chatState.ChatLobbyModel.currentLobby.gxs_id : '') : peopleState.State.selectedOwnGxsIdForChat;
+                      senderName = rs.userList.username(ownId) || 'You';
+                    }
+                    const timeStr = new Date((msg.sendTime || msg.recvTime || 0) * 1000).toLocaleString();
+
+                    return m('.history-item', {
+                      style: 'background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #e2e8f0; border-radius: 0.5rem; padding: 0.75rem 1rem; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.03);'
+                    }, [
+                      m('.history-item-header', { style: 'display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between; margin-bottom: 0.4rem;' }, [
+                        m('span.sender', { style: `font-weight: 700; font-size: 0.85rem; color: ${isIncoming ? '#3b82f6' : '#10b981'};` }, senderName),
+                        m('span.time', { style: 'font-size: 0.75rem; color: #94a3b8;' }, timeStr),
+                      ]),
+                      m('.history-item-body', { style: 'font-size: 0.9rem; color: #334155; word-break: break-word;' },
+                        chatState.renderChatMessage(msg.msg || msg.message || '')
+                      ),
+                    ]);
+                  })
+          ]),
+        ])
+      ]);
+    },
+  };
+};
+
+module.exports = HistoryBrowserModal;
diff --git a/webui-src/app/people/people_state.js b/webui-src/app/people/people_state.js
index 39a1ef4..3867d1e 100644
--- a/webui-src/app/people/people_state.js
+++ b/webui-src/app/people/people_state.js
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ const State = {
   statusPollInterval: null,
   chatDisconnected: false,
   activeMenu: null,
+  showHistoryModal: false,
+  historySearchQuery: '',
+  fullHistoryMessages: [],
+  isHistoryLoading: false,
 };
 
 function fetchIdDetails(gxsId) {
@@ -308,7 +312,7 @@ function loadChatMessages() {
 
   const chatPeerId = {
     broadcast_status_peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
-    type: 2, // DISTANT
+    type: 2, // TYPE_PRIVATE_DISTANT
     peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
     distant_chat_id: State.chatPid,
     lobby_id: { xstr64: '0' },
@@ -350,7 +354,7 @@ function sendDistantChatMessage() {
 
   const cid = {
     broadcast_status_peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
-    type: 2, // DISTANT
+    type: 2, // TYPE_PRIVATE_DISTANT
     peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
     distant_chat_id: State.chatPid,
     lobby_id: { xstr64: '0' },
@@ -405,10 +409,10 @@ function preloadAllChatHistory() {
       const gxsId = typeof u === 'object' ? u.mGroupId : u;
       if (!gxsId) return;
 
-      // Check Distant Chat History (type: 2)
+      // Check Distant Chat History (type: 2 - TYPE_PRIVATE_DISTANT)
       const distantPeerId = {
         broadcast_status_peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
-        type: 2, // DISTANT
+        type: 2, // TYPE_PRIVATE_DISTANT
         peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
         distant_chat_id: gxsId,
         lobby_id: { xstr64: '0' },
@@ -480,10 +484,89 @@ function preloadAllChatHistory() {
   });
 }
 
+function loadAllHistoryForSelectedPeer(callback) {
+  if (!State.selectedId) return;
+
+  State.isHistoryLoading = true;
+  State.fullHistoryMessages = [];
+  m.redraw();
+
+  const queries = [];
+
+  // Query 1: Distant Chat History by active chatPid (type: 2 - TYPE_PRIVATE_DISTANT)
+  if (State.chatPid) {
+    queries.push({
+      broadcast_status_peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
+      type: 2, // TYPE_PRIVATE_DISTANT
+      peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
+      distant_chat_id: State.chatPid,
+      lobby_id: { xstr64: '0' },
+    });
+  }
+
+  // Query 2: Distant Chat History by selectedId if different (type: 2 - TYPE_PRIVATE_DISTANT)
+  if (State.selectedId && State.selectedId !== State.chatPid) {
+    queries.push({
+      broadcast_status_peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
+      type: 2, // TYPE_PRIVATE_DISTANT
+      peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
+      distant_chat_id: State.selectedId,
+      lobby_id: { xstr64: '0' },
+    });
+  }
+
+  // Query 3: Private Chat History by PGP ID if available (type: 1 - TYPE_PRIVATE)
+  const details = State.gxsIdToDetailsMap[State.selectedId];
+  const pgpId = details ? details.mPgpId : null;
+  if (pgpId && pgpId !== '0000000000000000') {
+    queries.push({
+      broadcast_status_peer_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
+      type: 1, // TYPE_PRIVATE
+      peer_id: pgpId,
+      distant_chat_id: '00000000000000000000000000000000',
+      lobby_id: { xstr64: '0' },
+    });
+  }
+
+  let accumulatedMsgs = [];
+  let completed = 0;
+
+  queries.forEach((chatPeerId) => {
+    rs.rsJsonApiRequest(
+      '/rsHistory/getMessages',
+      {
+        chatPeerId: chatPeerId,
+        loadCount: 0, // 0 = load all messages in C++
+      },
+      (msgData, success) => {
+        if (success && msgData && msgData.msgs) {
+          accumulatedMsgs = accumulatedMsgs.concat(msgData.msgs);
+        }
+        completed++;
+        if (completed === queries.length) {
+          const map = new Map();
+          accumulatedMsgs.forEach((mItem) => {
+            const text = mItem.msg || mItem.message || '';
+            const key = `${mItem.sendTime || mItem.recvTime}_${text}`;
+            if (!map.has(key)) map.set(key, mItem);
+          });
+          let uniqueMsgs = Array.from(map.values());
+          uniqueMsgs.sort((a, b) => (a.sendTime || a.recvTime) - (b.sendTime || b.recvTime));
+          State.fullHistoryMessages = uniqueMsgs;
+          State.isHistoryLoading = false;
+          m.redraw();
+          if (callback) callback();
+        }
+      }
+    );
+  });
+}
+
 module.exports = {
   State,
   isSystemMsg,
   preloadAllChatHistory,
+  loadAllHistoryForSelectedPeer,
   fetchIdDetails,
   loadGxsIdentities,
   loadOwnGxsIds,