matplotlib · timhoffm · Feb 2, 2025 · Feb 1, 2025
diff --git a/galleries/examples/color/color_sequences.py b/galleries/examples/color/color_sequences.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+"""
+=====================
+Named color sequences
+=====================
+
+Matplotlib's `~matplotlib.colors.ColorSequenceRegistry` allows access to
+predefined lists of colors by name e.g.
+``colors = matplotlib.color_sequences['Set1']``.  This example shows all of the
+built in color sequences.
+
+User-defined sequences can be added via `.ColorSequenceRegistry.register`.
+"""
+
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import numpy as np
+
+import matplotlib as mpl
+
+
+def plot_color_sequences(names, ax):
+    # Display each named color sequence horizontally on the supplied axes.
+
+    for n, name in enumerate(names):
+        colors = mpl.color_sequences[name]
+        n_colors = len(colors)
+        x = np.arange(n_colors)
+        y = np.full_like(x, n)
+
+        ax.scatter(x, y, facecolor=colors, edgecolor='dimgray', s=200, zorder=2)
+
+    ax.set_yticks(range(len(names)), labels=names)
+    ax.grid(visible=True, axis='y')
+    ax.yaxis.set_inverted(True)
+    ax.xaxis.set_visible(False)
+    ax.spines[:].set_visible(False)
+    ax.tick_params(left=False)
+
+
+built_in_color_sequences = [
+    'tab10', 'tab20', 'tab20b', 'tab20c', 'Pastel1', 'Pastel2', 'Paired',
+    'Accent', 'Dark2', 'Set1', 'Set2', 'Set3', 'petroff10']
+
+
+fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(6.4, 9.6), layout='constrained')
+
+plot_color_sequences(built_in_color_sequences, ax)
+ax.set_title('Built In Color Sequences')
+
+plt.show()
+
+
+# %%
+#
+# .. admonition:: References
+#
+#    The use of the following functions, methods, classes and modules is shown
+#    in this example:
+#
+#    - `matplotlib.colors.ColorSequenceRegistry`
+#    - `matplotlib.axes.Axes.scatter`
+#
+# .. tags::
+#
+#    styling: color
+#    purpose: reference
diff --git a/galleries/examples/color/individual_colors_from_cmap.py b/galleries/examples/color/individual_colors_from_cmap.py
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@
 # Extracting colors from a discrete colormap
 # ------------------------------------------
 # The list of all colors in a `.ListedColormap` is available as the ``colors``
-# attribute.
+# attribute.  Note that all the colors from Matplotlib's qualitative color maps
+# are also available as color sequences, so may be accessed more directly from
+# the color sequence registry.  See :doc:`/gallery/color/color_sequences`.
 
 colors = mpl.colormaps['Dark2'].colors
 

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/colors.py b/lib/matplotlib/colors.py
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ class ColorSequenceRegistry(Mapping):
         import matplotlib as mpl
         colors = mpl.color_sequences['tab10']
 
+    For a list of built in color sequences, see :doc:`/gallery/color/color_sequences`.
     The returned lists are copies, so that their modification does not change
     the global definition of the color sequence.