diff --git a/docs/api.rst b/docs/api.rst
index 3b87fc70..e5323676 100644
--- a/docs/api.rst
+++ b/docs/api.rst
@@ -2,7 +2,31 @@
 API
 ===
 
+Connecting to ISPyB
+===================
+
 .. automodule:: ispyb
     :members:
     :show-inheritance:
 
+Accessing records using the object model
+========================================
+
+The connection object offers the following accessor functions to get
+object-like representations of database entries:
+
+.. autoclass:: ispyb.model.interface.ObjectModelMixIn
+    :members:
+
+DataCollection
+==============
+
+.. automodule:: ispyb.model.datacollection
+    :members:
+
+ProcessingJob
+=============
+
+.. automodule:: ispyb.model.processingjob
+    :members:
+
diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index b5b1f087..4ec82e08 100755
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
 # The theme to use for HTML and HTML Help pages.  See the documentation for
 # a list of builtin themes.
 #
-html_theme = 'alabaster'
+html_theme = 'classic'
 
 # Theme options are theme-specific and customize the look and feel of a
 # theme further.  For a list of options available for each theme, see the
diff --git a/ispyb/__init__.py b/ispyb/__init__.py
index cd7f165f..56a58d01 100644
--- a/ispyb/__init__.py
+++ b/ispyb/__init__.py
@@ -11,7 +11,13 @@
 _log = logging.getLogger('ispyb')
 
 def open(configuration_file):
-  '''Create an ISPyB connection using settings from a configuration file.'''
+  '''Create an ISPyB connection using settings from a configuration file.
+     This can be used either as a function call or as a context manager.
+
+     :param configuration_file: Full path to a file containing database
+                                credentials
+     :return: ISPyB connection object
+  '''
   config = configparser.RawConfigParser(allow_no_value=True)
   if not config.read(configuration_file):
     raise AttributeError('No configuration found at %s' % configuration_file)
diff --git a/ispyb/interface/acquisition.py b/ispyb/interface/acquisition.py
index 54785d16..5be68280 100644
--- a/ispyb/interface/acquisition.py
+++ b/ispyb/interface/acquisition.py
@@ -28,4 +28,6 @@ def upsert_data_collection(self, cursor, values):
   def get_data_collection(self, dcid):
     '''Return a DataCollection object representing the information about the
        selected data collection'''
+    import warnings
+    warnings.warn("Object model getter call on the data area is deprecated and will be removed in the next release. Call the function on connection object instead.", DeprecationWarning)
     return ispyb.model.datacollection.DataCollection(dcid, self)
diff --git a/ispyb/interface/connection.py b/ispyb/interface/connection.py
index 9117b7f3..8712cbc5 100644
--- a/ispyb/interface/connection.py
+++ b/ispyb/interface/connection.py
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 import abc
 import ispyb.interface.factory
+import ispyb.model.interface
 
 ABC = abc.ABCMeta('ABC', (object,), {'__slots__': ()}) # compatible with Python 2 *and* 3
 
-class IF(ABC, ispyb.interface.factory.factory_mixin):
+class IF(
+    ABC,
+    ispyb.interface.factory.FactoryMixIn,
+    ispyb.model.interface.ObjectModelMixIn):
   '''ISPyB connection interface definition object.'''
 
   @abc.abstractmethod
diff --git a/ispyb/interface/factory.py b/ispyb/interface/factory.py
index 4dd2f29e..d414ca57 100644
--- a/ispyb/interface/factory.py
+++ b/ispyb/interface/factory.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import importlib
 
-class factory_mixin():
+class FactoryMixIn():
   def _get_data_area(self, module, classname):
     '''Helper function to instantiate a data area or return a cached instance.'''
     if hasattr(self, '_cache_' + module):
diff --git a/ispyb/interface/processing.py b/ispyb/interface/processing.py
index 3fab45ed..b2adfc69 100644
--- a/ispyb/interface/processing.py
+++ b/ispyb/interface/processing.py
@@ -25,4 +25,6 @@ def get_quality_indicators_params(self):
 
   def get_processing_job(self, jobid):
     '''Return a ProcessingJob object representing the information about the selected processing job'''
+    import warnings
+    warnings.warn("Object model getter call on the data area is deprecated and will be removed in the next release. Call the function on connection object instead.", DeprecationWarning)
     return ispyb.model.processingjob.ProcessingJob(jobid, self)
diff --git a/ispyb/model/datacollection.py b/ispyb/model/datacollection.py
index c1e2ac90..75cb3caf 100644
--- a/ispyb/model/datacollection.py
+++ b/ispyb/model/datacollection.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ def __init__(self, dcid, db_area, preload=None):
        :return: A DataCollection object representing the database entry for
                 the specified DataCollectionID
     '''
+    self._cache_group = None
     self._db = db_area
     self._dcid = int(dcid)
     if preload:
@@ -31,6 +32,13 @@ def dcid(self):
     '''Returns the DataCollectionID.'''
     return self._dcid
 
+  @property
+  def group(self):
+    '''Returns a DataCollectionGroup object'''
+    if self._cache_group is None:
+      self._cache_group = DataCollectionGroup(self.dcgid, self._db.conn)
+    return self._cache_group
+
   def __repr__(self):
     '''Returns an object representation, including the DataCollectionID,
        the database connection interface object, and the cache status.'''
@@ -48,12 +56,68 @@ def __str__(self):
       'DataCollection #{0.dcid}',
       '  Started      : {0.time_start}',
       '  Finished     : {0.time_end}',
+      '  DC group     : {0.dcgid}',
     ))).format(self)
 
 for key, internalkey in (
+    ('dcgid', 'groupId'),
     ('time_start', 'startTime'),
     ('time_end', 'endTime'),
     ('image_count', 'noImages'),
     ('image_start_number', 'startImgNumber'),
   ):
   setattr(DataCollection, key, property(lambda self, k=internalkey: self._data[k]))
+
+class DataCollectionGroup(ispyb.model.DBCache):
+  '''An object representing a DataCollectionGroup database entry. The object
+     lazily accesses the underlying database when necessary and exposes record
+     data as python attributes.
+  '''
+
+  def __init__(self, dcgid, db_conn, preload=None):
+    '''Create a DataCollectionGroup object for a defined DCGID. Requires
+       a database connection object exposing further data access methods.
+
+       :param dcgid: DataCollectionGroupID
+       :param db_conn: ISPyB database connection object
+       :return: A DataCollectionGroup object representing the database entry for
+                the specified DataCollectionGroupID
+    '''
+    self._cache_gridinfo = None
+    self._db = db_conn
+    self._dcgid = int(dcgid)
+    if preload:
+      self._data = preload
+
+  def reload(self):
+    '''Load/update information from the database.'''
+    raise NotImplementedError("TODO: Loading not yet supported")
+
+  @property
+  def dcgid(self):
+    '''Returns the DataCollectionGroupID.'''
+    return self._dcgid
+
+  @property
+  def gridinfo(self):
+    '''Returns a GridInfo object.'''
+    if self._cache_gridinfo is None:
+      self._cache_gridinfo = GridInfo(self.dcgid, self._db)
+    return self._cache_gridinfo
+
+  def __repr__(self):
+    '''Returns an object representation, including the DataCollectionGroupID,
+       the database connection interface object, and the cache status.'''
+    return '<DataCollectionGroup #%d (%s), %r>' % (
+        self._dcgid,
+        'cached' if self.cached else 'uncached',
+        self._db
+    )
+
+  def __str__(self):
+    '''Returns a pretty-printed object representation.'''
+    if not self.cached:
+      return 'DataCollectionGroup #%d (not yet loaded from database)' % self._dcgid
+    return ('\n'.join((
+      'DataCollectionGroup #{0.dcgid}',
+    ))).format(self)
diff --git a/ispyb/model/gridinfo.py b/ispyb/model/gridinfo.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e60268f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ispyb/model/gridinfo.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
+
+import ispyb.model
+
+class GridInfo(ispyb.model.DBCache):
+  '''An object representing a GridInfo database entry. The object
+     lazily accesses the underlying database when necessary and exposes record
+     data as python attributes.
+  '''
+
+  def __init__(self, dcgid, db_conn, preload=None):
+    '''Create a GridInfo object for a defined DCGID. Requires
+       a database connection object exposing further data access methods.
+
+       :param dcgid: DataCollectionGroupID
+       :param db_conn: ISPyB database connection object
+       :return: A GridInfo object representing the database entry for
+                the specified DataCollectionGroupID
+    '''
+    self._db = db_conn
+    self._dcgid = int(dcgid)
+    if preload:
+      self._data = preload
+
+  def reload(self):
+    '''Load/update information from the database.'''
+    raise NotImplementedError('TODO: Not implemented yet')
+
+  @property
+  def dcgid(self):
+    '''Returns the DataCollectionGroupID.'''
+    return self._dcgid
+
+  def __repr__(self):
+    '''Returns an object representation, including the DataCollectionGroupID,
+       the database connection interface object, and the cache status.'''
+    return '<GridInfo #%d (%s), %r>' % (
+        self._dcgid,
+        'cached' if self.cached else 'uncached',
+        self._db
+    )
+
+  def __str__(self):
+    '''Returns a pretty-printed object representation.'''
+    if not self.cached:
+      return 'GridInfo #%d (not yet loaded from database)' % self._dcid
+    return ('\n'.join((
+      'GridInfo #{0.dcgid}',
+    ))).format(self)
diff --git a/ispyb/model/interface.py b/ispyb/model/interface.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8a006054
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ispyb/model/interface.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
+
+import ispyb.model.datacollection
+import ispyb.model.processingjob
+
+class ObjectModelMixIn():
+  '''Object model accessor functions for Connector classes.'''
+
+  def get_data_collection(self, dcid):
+    '''Return a DataCollection object representing the information
+       about the selected data collection'''
+    return ispyb.model.datacollection.DataCollection(
+        dcid,
+        self.mx_acquisition,
+    )
+
+  def get_data_collection_group(self, dcgid):
+    '''Return a DataCollectionGroup object representing the information
+       about the selected data collection group'''
+    return ispyb.model.datacollection.DataCollectionGroup(
+        dcgid,
+        self,
+    )
+
+  def get_processing_job(self, jobid):
+    '''Return a ProcessingJob object representing the information
+       about the selected processing job.'''
+    return ispyb.model.processingjob.ProcessingJob(
+        jobid,
+        self.mx_processing,
+    )
diff --git a/tests/test_mxacquisition.py b/tests/test_mxacquisition.py
index 1f986288..502552ff 100644
--- a/tests/test_mxacquisition.py
+++ b/tests/test_mxacquisition.py
@@ -37,8 +37,10 @@ def test_mxacquisition_methods(testconfig):
         rs = mxacquisition.retrieve_data_collection_main(id1)
         assert rs[0]['groupId'] == dcgid
 
-        dc = mxacquisition.get_data_collection(id1)
+        dc = conn.get_data_collection(id1)
         assert dc.image_count == 360
+        assert dc.dcgid == dcgid
+        assert dc.group.dcgid == dcgid
 
         params = mxacquisition.get_image_params()
         params['parentid'] = id1