diff --git a/mypy.ini b/mypy.ini
index caec25da68..8097d51c08 100644
--- a/mypy.ini
+++ b/mypy.ini
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ ignore_missing_imports = True
 [mypy-numpy.*]
 ignore_missing_imports = True
 
+[mypy-matplotlib.*]
+ignore_missing_imports = True
+
 [mypy-pyarrow.*]
 ignore_missing_imports = True
 
diff --git a/python/lsst/daf/butler/configs/storageClasses.yaml b/python/lsst/daf/butler/configs/storageClasses.yaml
index f7a58c9d79..7198e20f2c 100644
--- a/python/lsst/daf/butler/configs/storageClasses.yaml
+++ b/python/lsst/daf/butler/configs/storageClasses.yaml
@@ -342,10 +342,14 @@ storageClasses:
       dict: lsst.utils.packages.Packages
   NumpyArray:
     pytype: numpy.ndarray
+    converters:
+      matplotlib.figure.Figure: lsst.daf.butler.formatters.matplotlib.MatplotlibFormatter.dummyConverter
   Thumbnail:
     pytype: numpy.ndarray
   Plot:
     pytype: matplotlib.figure.Figure
+    converters:
+      numpy.ndarray: lsst.daf.butler.formatters.matplotlib.MatplotlibFormatter.fromArray
   MetricValue:
     pytype: lsst.verify.Measurement
   StampsBase:
diff --git a/python/lsst/daf/butler/formatters/matplotlib.py b/python/lsst/daf/butler/formatters/matplotlib.py
index d7dc4d2c01..69769d841f 100644
--- a/python/lsst/daf/butler/formatters/matplotlib.py
+++ b/python/lsst/daf/butler/formatters/matplotlib.py
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 
 from typing import Any
 
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import numpy as np
+
 from .file import FileFormatter
 
 
@@ -38,8 +41,22 @@ class MatplotlibFormatter(FileFormatter):
 
     def _readFile(self, path: str, pytype: type[Any] | None = None) -> Any:
         # docstring inherited from FileFormatter._readFile
-        raise NotImplementedError(f"matplotlib figures cannot be read by the butler; path is {path}")
+        return plt.imread(path)
 
     def _writeFile(self, inMemoryDataset: Any) -> None:
         # docstring inherited from FileFormatter._writeFile
         inMemoryDataset.savefig(self.fileDescriptor.location.path)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def fromArray(cls: np.ndarray) -> plt.Figure:
+        """Convert an array into a Figure."""
+        fig = plt.figure()
+        plt.imshow(cls)
+        return fig
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def dummyCovnerter(cls: np.ndarray) -> np.ndarray:
+        """This converter exists to trick the Butler into allowing
+        a numpy array on read with ``storageClass='NumpyArray'``.
+        """
+        return cls
diff --git a/tests/test_matplotlibFormatter.py b/tests/test_matplotlibFormatter.py
index 5987027abc..080097d445 100644
--- a/tests/test_matplotlibFormatter.py
+++ b/tests/test_matplotlibFormatter.py
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
 import unittest
 from random import Random
 
+import numpy as np
+
 try:
     import matplotlib
 
@@ -78,8 +80,13 @@ def testMatplotlibFormatter(self):
             pyplot.gcf().savefig(file.name)
             self.assertTrue(filecmp.cmp(local.ospath, file.name, shallow=True))
         self.assertTrue(butler.exists(ref))
-        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-            butler.get(ref)
+
+        fig = butler.get(ref)
+        # Ensure that the result is a figure
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(fig, pyplot.Figure))
+        image = butler.get(ref, storageClass="NumpyArray")
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(image, np.ndarray))
+
         butler.pruneDatasets([ref], unstore=True, purge=True)
         self.assertFalse(butler.exists(ref))