diff --git a/doc/api/index.rst b/doc/api/index.rst
index 747c1fb8a9a..80cb112d015 100644
--- a/doc/api/index.rst
+++ b/doc/api/index.rst
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Plotting data and laying out the map:
 
     Figure.basemap
     Figure.coast
+    Figure.colorbar
     Figure.plot
     Figure.contour
     Figure.grdcontour
diff --git a/examples/gallery/plot/README.txt b/examples/gallery/plot/README.txt
index d8f769a3ced..c213e06feea 100644
--- a/examples/gallery/plot/README.txt
+++ b/examples/gallery/plot/README.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Lines, points, and scatters
----------------------------
+Plotting map items
+------------------
diff --git a/examples/gallery/plot/colorbar.py b/examples/gallery/plot/colorbar.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..195198cfdac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/gallery/plot/colorbar.py
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+"""
+Colorbar
+--------
+
+The :meth:`pygmt.Figure.colorbar` method creates a color scalebar. We must specify the
+colormap via the ``cmap`` argument, and set the placement via the ``position`` argument.
+The full list of color paletted tables can be found at :gmt-docs:`cookbook/cpts.html`.
+You can set the `position` of the colorbar using the following options:
+
+- j/J: justified inside/outside the mapframe using any 2 character combination of
+  vertical (**T** op, **M** iddle, **B** ottom) and horizontal (**L** eft, **C** enter,
+  **R** ight) alignment codes, e.g. `position="jTR"` for top right.
+- g: using map coordinates, e.g. `position="g170/-45"` for longitude 170E, latitude 45S.
+- x: using paper coordinates, e.g. `position="x5c/7c"` for 5cm,7cm from anchor point.
+- n: using normalized (0-1) coordinates, e.g. `position="n0.4/0.8"`.
+
+Note that the anchor point defaults to the bottom left (BL). Append +h to ``position``
+to get a horizontal colorbar instead of a vertical one. For more advanced styling
+options, see the full option list at :gmt-docs:`colorbar.html`.
+"""
+import pygmt
+
+fig = pygmt.Figure()
+fig.basemap(region=[0, 3, 6, 9], projection="t0/3c", frame=True)
+
+# Create a colorbar suitable for surface topography- oleron
+
+fig.colorbar(
+    cmap="oleron",
+    position="jTC+w6c/1c+h",  # justified inside map frame (j) at Top Center (TC)
+    box=True,
+    frame=["+Loleron", "xaf", "y+lm"],
+    scale=10,
+)
+# Create a colorbar designed for seismic tomography- roma
+fig.colorbar(
+    cmap="roma",
+    position="x1.2c/4.75c+w6c/1c+h",  # plot using paper coordinates (x) at 1.2cm,4.75cm
+    box=True,
+    frame=["+Lroma", "xaf", "y+lm/s"],
+    scale=10,
+)
+# Create a colorbar showing the scientific rainbow - batlow
+fig.colorbar(
+    cmap="batlow",
+    position="g0.45/6.6+w6c/1c+h",  # plot using map coordinates (g) at lon/lat 0.45/6.6
+    box=True,
+    frame=["+Lbatlow", "xaf", r"y+l\260C"],
+    scale=10,
+)
+
+fig.show()
diff --git a/pygmt/base_plotting.py b/pygmt/base_plotting.py
index 8d43c88c162..811b2aba505 100644
--- a/pygmt/base_plotting.py
+++ b/pygmt/base_plotting.py
@@ -131,6 +131,86 @@ def coast(self, **kwargs):
         with Session() as lib:
             lib.call_module("coast", build_arg_string(kwargs))
 
+    @fmt_docstring
+    @use_alias(
+        R="region",
+        J="projection",
+        B="frame",
+        C="cmap",
+        D="position",
+        F="box",
+        G="truncate",
+        W="scale",
+    )
+    @kwargs_to_strings(R="sequence", G="sequence")
+    def colorbar(self, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Plot a gray or color scale-bar on maps.
+
+        Both horizontal and vertical scales are supported. For CPTs with gradational
+        colors (i.e., the lower and upper boundary of an interval have different colors)
+        we will interpolate to give a continuous scale. Variations in intensity due to
+        shading/illumination may be displayed by setting the option -I. Colors may be
+        spaced according to a linear scale, all be equal size, or by providing a file
+        with individual tile widths.
+
+        Full option list at :gmt-docs:`colorbar.html`
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        position (D) : str
+            ``[g|j|J|n|x]refpoint[+wlength[/width]][+e[b|f][length]][+h|v][+jjustify]
+            [+m[a|c|l|u]][+n[txt]][+odx[/dy]]``.
+            Defines the reference point on the map for the color scale using one of four
+            coordinate systems:
+            (1) Use -Dg for map (user) coordinates,
+            (2) use -Dj or -DJ for setting refpoint via a 2-char justification code that
+            refers to the (invisible) map domain rectangle,
+            (3) use -Dn for normalized (0-1) coordinates, or
+            (4) use -Dx for plot coordinates (inches, cm, etc.).\
+            All but -Dx requires both -R and -J to be specified.
+            Append +w followed by the length and width of the color bar.
+            If width is not specified then it is set to 4% of the given length.
+            Give a negative length to reverse the scale bar.
+            Append +h to get a horizontal scale [Default is vertical (+v)].
+            By default, the anchor point on the scale is assumed to be the bottom left
+            corner (BL), but this can be changed by appending +j followed by a 2-char
+            justification code justify.
+
+        box (F) : bool or str
+            ``[+cclearances][+gfill][+i[[gap/]pen]][+p[pen]][+r[radius]][+s[[dx/dy/]
+            [shade]]]``.
+            If set to True, draws a rectangular border around the color scale.
+            Alternatively, specify a different pen with +ppen.
+            Add +gfill to fill the scale panel [no fill].
+            Append +cclearance where clearance is either gap, xgap/ygap, or
+            lgap/rgap/bgap/tgap where these items are uniform, separate in x- and
+            y-direction, or individual side spacings between scale and border.
+            Append +i to draw a secondary, inner border as well. We use a uniform gap
+            between borders of 2p and the MAP_DEFAULTS_PEN unless other values are
+            specified.
+            Append +r to draw rounded rectangular borders instead, with a 6p corner
+            radius. You can override this radius by appending another value.
+            Finally, append +s to draw an offset background shaded region. Here, dx/dy
+            indicates the shift relative to the foreground frame [4p/-4p] and shade sets
+            the fill style to use for shading [gray50].
+
+        truncate (G) : list or str
+            ``zlo/zhi``
+            Truncate the incoming CPT so that the lowest and highest z-levels are to zlo
+            and zhi. If one of these equal NaN then we leave that end of the CPT alone.
+            The truncation takes place before the plotting.
+
+        scale (W) : float
+            Multiply all z-values in the CPT by the provided scale. By default the CPT
+            is used as is.
+
+        {aliases}
+        """
+        kwargs = self._preprocess(**kwargs)
+        with Session() as lib:
+            lib.call_module("colorbar", build_arg_string(kwargs))
+
     @fmt_docstring
     @use_alias(
         A="annotation",
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diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_colorbar_using_paper_coordinates.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_colorbar_using_paper_coordinates.png
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diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_colorbar_using_paper_coordinates_horizontal.png b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_colorbar_using_paper_coordinates_horizontal.png
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diff --git a/pygmt/tests/test_colorbar.py b/pygmt/tests/test_colorbar.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5fea02100db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pygmt/tests/test_colorbar.py
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+"""
+Tests colorbar
+"""
+import pytest
+
+from .. import Figure
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_using_paper_coordinates():
+    """
+    Create colorbar positioned at 0cm,0cm with length 1cm and width 0.5cm.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", position="x0c/0c+w1c/0.5c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_using_paper_coordinates_horizontal():
+    """
+    Create colorbar positioned at 0cm,0cm with length 2cm oriented horizontally.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", position="x0c/0c+w2c+h")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_positioned_using_map_coordinates():
+    """
+    Create colorbar positioned at longitude,latitude 3,6 with length 2cm.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.basemap(region=[2, 4, 6, 8], projection="t0/2c", frame=True)
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", position="g3/6+w2c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_positioned_using_justification_code():
+    """
+    Create colorbar positioned at Top Center inside the map frame with length 2cm.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.basemap(region=[2, 4, 6, 8], projection="t0/2c", frame=True)
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", position="jTC+w2c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_positioned_using_normalized_coords():
+    """
+    Create colorbar positioned at normalized coordinates 0.75,0.25 with length 2cm.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.basemap(region=[2, 4, 6, 8], projection="t0/2c", frame=True)
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", position="n0.75/0.25+w2c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_box():
+    """
+    Create colorbar with box around it.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", box=True, position="x0c/0c+w1c/0.5c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_box_with_pen():
+    """
+    Create colorbar with box that has a different colored pen.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", box="+porange", position="x0c/0c+w1c/0.5c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_box_with_fill():
+    """
+    Create colorbar with box that has a different colored fill.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", box="+gorange", position="x0c/0c+w1c/0.5c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_box_with_clearance():
+    """
+    Create colorbar with box that has an x-clearance of 0.8cm and y-clearance of 0.4cm.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", box="+c0.8c/0.4c+porange", position="x0c/0c+w1c/0.5c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_box_with_secondary_border():
+    """
+    Create colorbar with box that has a secondary, inner border in addition to the main
+    primary, outer border.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", box="+porange+imagenta", position="x0c/0c+w1c/0.5c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_box_with_rounded_corners():
+    """
+    Create colorbar with box that has rounded corners.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", box="+porange+r", position="x0c/0c+w1c/0.5c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_box_with_offset_background():
+    """
+    Create colorbar with box and an offset background shaded region.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", box="+s5p/-5p", position="x0c/0c+w1c/0.5c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_truncated_to_zlow_zhigh():
+    """
+    Create colorbar truncated to z-low and z-high.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", truncate=[0.15, 0.85], position="x0c/0c+w2c/0.5c")
+    return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_colorbar_scaled_z_values():
+    """
+    Create colorbar with z-values scaled to 0.1x of the original CPT.
+    """
+    fig = Figure()
+    fig.colorbar(cmap="rainbow", scale=0.1, position="x0c/0c+w2c/0.5c")
+    return fig