diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/projects/introdutory_popup.js b/app/assets/javascripts/projects/introdutory_popup.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..052bb71f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/projects/introdutory_popup.js
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+(function(){
+  // display introductory modal
+  if( Cookies.get('popup-already-shown') !== 'yes'){
+    $("#introductory-popup-modal").modal('show',{
+      backdrop: true,
+      keyboard: false,
+    });
+    Cookies.set('popup-already-shown', 'yes');
+  }
+})();
diff --git a/app/views/projects/index.html.erb b/app/views/projects/index.html.erb
index 7a42ba1b0..4c2eec669 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/projects/index.html.erb
@@ -130,6 +130,10 @@
 </div>
 <% end %>
 
+<% if current_user.created_at < Time.new(2016, 8, 25) %>
+  <%= render partial: 'projects/index/introductory_popup' %>
+  <%= javascript_include_tag "projects/introdutory_popup"%>
+<% end %>
 <% if @projects_by_orgs.length > 0 %>
   <% @projects_by_orgs.each do |org, projects| %>
     <%= render partial: "projects/index/org_projects", locals: {org: org, projects: projects} %>
diff --git a/app/views/projects/index/_introductory_popup.html.erb b/app/views/projects/index/_introductory_popup.html.erb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d42dc7744
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/projects/index/_introductory_popup.html.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+<!-- introductory popup modal -->
+<div class="modal" id="introductory-popup-modal" tabindex="-1" role="dialog" aria-labelledby="introductory-modal-label">
+  <div class="modal-dialog modal-lg" role="document">
+    <div class="modal-content">
+      <div class="modal-header">
+        <button type="button" class="close" data-dismiss="modal" aria-label="Close"><span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span></button>
+        <h4 class="modal-title" id="introductory-modal-label"><%=t 'introductory.popup-title' %></h4>
+      </div>
+      <div class="modal-body">
+        // TODO
+      </div>
+      <div class="modal-footer">
+        <button type="button" class="btn btn-default" data-dismiss="modal"><%=t 'general.cancel' %></button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</div>
diff --git a/config/initializers/assets.rb b/config/initializers/assets.rb
index f6132277f..a8726d2f2 100644
--- a/config/initializers/assets.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/assets.rb
@@ -57,3 +57,4 @@ Rails.application.config.assets.precompile += %w( reports_pdf.css )
 Rails.application.config.assets.precompile += %w( jszip.min.js )
 Rails.application.config.assets.precompile += %w( assets.js )
 Rails.application.config.assets.precompile += %w( projects/show.js )
+Rails.application.config.assets.precompile += %w( projects/introdutory_popup.js )
diff --git a/config/locales/en.yml b/config/locales/en.yml
index 94055d701..951fcbecd 100644
--- a/config/locales/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/en.yml
@@ -1480,6 +1480,8 @@ en:
     new_report_click_org_html: "Click on <strong>%{private_org}</strong> in breadcrumbs to return to the Dashboard."
     archive_project_html: "Archive demo project by clicking on the down arrow <span class='glyphicon glyphicon-triangle-bottom'></span>. You can always access the archive by clicking the <span class='glyphicon glyphicon-briefcase'></span> button on the top right side of the dashboard and restore any item you have archived."
 
+  introductory:
+    popup-title: "Dear sciNote user,"
   # This section contains general words that can be used in any parts of
   # application.