diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/notes.js.erb b/app/assets/javascripts/notes.js.erb
index 36eabeaee..6c598120a 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/notes.js.erb
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/notes.js.erb
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ function addNoteLayer(map, notesUrl, newNoteControls, minZoom) {
 
     map.noteLayer = new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector("Notes", {
         visibility: false,
+        displayInLayerSwitcher: false,
         projection: new OpenLayers.Projection("EPSG:4326"),
         styleMap: new OpenLayers.StyleMap(new OpenLayers.Style({
             graphicWidth: 22,
diff --git a/app/views/site/index.html.erb b/app/views/site/index.html.erb
index 8aa318a3f..4b37fc8af 100644
--- a/app/views/site/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/site/index.html.erb
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 <% unless STATUS == :api_offline or STATUS == :database_offline -%>
   <% content_for :editmenu do -%>
+    <li><%= link_to t("browse.start_rjs.notes_layer_name"), "#", :id => "show_notes" %></li>
     <li><%= link_to t("browse.start_rjs.data_layer_name"), "#", :id => "show_data" %></li>
   <% end -%>
 <% end -%>
@@ -152,10 +153,10 @@ end
       });
       map.addLayer(map.dataLayer);
 
-      var noteLayer = addNoteLayer(map, "<%= notes_url :format => 'json' %>", $("#createnoteanchor"), 11);
+      map.noteLayer = addNoteLayer(map, "<%= notes_url :format => 'json' %>", $("#createnoteanchor"), 11);
 
       <% if params[:notes] == "yes" -%>
-      noteLayer.setVisibility(true);
+      map.noteLayer.setVisibility(true);
       <% end -%>
     <% end %>
 
@@ -206,6 +207,10 @@ end
   }
 
   $(document).ready(function () {
+    $("#show_notes").click(function () {
+      map.noteLayer.setVisibility(true);
+    });
+
     $("#show_data").click(function () {
       $.ajax({ url: "<%= url_for :controller => :browse, :action => :start %>" });
     });
diff --git a/config/locales/en.yml b/config/locales/en.yml
index 8bc0992bb..1b553b6b4 100644
--- a/config/locales/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/en.yml
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ en:
       view_data: "View data for current map view"
       manually_select: "Manually select a different area"
     start_rjs:
+      notes_layer_name: "Browse Notes"
       data_layer_name: "Browse Map Data"
       data_frame_title: "Data"
       zoom_or_select: "Zoom in or select an area of the map to view"