diff --git a/src/tz/core/data/transform_hierarchy.hpp b/src/tz/core/data/transform_hierarchy.hpp
index 021157da50..ecbaa1882f 100644
--- a/src/tz/core/data/transform_hierarchy.hpp
+++ b/src/tz/core/data/transform_hierarchy.hpp
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ namespace tz
 		std::vector<unsigned int> children = {};
 	};
 
+	/**
+	 * @ingroup tz_core
+	 * Represents a hierarchy of 3D transformations, with a payload applied.
+	 * Useful to represent a scene graph, or nodes for 3D skeletal animation.
+	 **/
 	template<typename T = void*>
 	class transform_hierarchy
 	{
@@ -23,6 +28,7 @@ namespace tz
 		transform_hierarchy() = default;
 		std::size_t size() const;
 		bool empty() const{return this->size() == 0;}
+		void clear();
 		std::vector<unsigned int> get_root_node_ids() const;
 
 		// returns id of the new node.
@@ -31,9 +37,22 @@ namespace tz
 		// within this hierarchy
 		unsigned int add_hierarchy(const transform_hierarchy<T>& tree);
 		unsigned int add_hierarchy_onto(const transform_hierarchy<T>& tree, unsigned int node_id);
+		transform_hierarchy<T> export_node(unsigned int id) const;
 		const transform_node<T>& get_node(unsigned int id) const;
 		tz::trs get_global_transform(unsigned int id) const;
 
+		// invoke callback for each child of the node `id`
+		void iterate_children(unsigned int id, tz::action<unsigned int> auto callback) const;
+		// invoke callback for each descendant (children and their children, recursively) of the node `id`
+		void iterate_descendants(unsigned int id, tz::action<unsigned int> auto callback) const;
+		// invoke callback for each ancestor (parent, their parent, etc...) of the node `id`
+		void iterate_ancestors(unsigned int id, tz::action<unsigned int> auto callback) const;
+		// iterate through all nodes in order, starting with root nodes. depth first traversal.
+		// callback *will* be called a number of times equal to `this->size()`. in graph theory it
+		// could be invoked more, however a transform hierarchy means a node has 1 parent max, so
+		// it will always be exactly equal.
+		void iterate_nodes(tz::action<unsigned int> auto callback) const;
+
 		void dbgui();
 	private:
 		void dbgui_node(unsigned int node_id);
diff --git a/src/tz/core/data/transform_hierarchy.inl b/src/tz/core/data/transform_hierarchy.inl
index 1bdd9eaba8..c45ab277cd 100644
--- a/src/tz/core/data/transform_hierarchy.inl
+++ b/src/tz/core/data/transform_hierarchy.inl
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "tz/dbgui/dbgui.hpp"
+#include "tz/core/profile.hpp"
 #include "tz/core/matrix_transform.hpp"
 #include <type_traits>
 
@@ -16,6 +17,12 @@ namespace tz
 		return this->nodes.size();
 	}
 
+	template<typename T>
+	void transform_hierarchy<T>::clear()
+	{
+		this->nodes.clear();
+	}
+
 	template<typename T>
 	std::vector<unsigned int> transform_hierarchy<T>::get_root_node_ids() const
 	{
@@ -94,6 +101,31 @@ namespace tz
 		return offset;
 	}
 
+	template<typename T>
+	void expand_children(const transform_hierarchy<T>& src, transform_hierarchy<T>& hier, unsigned int src_id, unsigned int node_id)
+	{
+		const auto& src_node = src.get_node(src_id);
+		const auto& node = hier.get_node(node_id);
+		for(std::size_t i = 0; i < src_node.children.size(); i++)
+		{
+			// get the children of the source node. make a copy for the dest node and recursce on children.
+			unsigned int src_child = src_node.children[i];
+			const auto& src_child_node = src.get_node(src_child);
+			unsigned int child = hier.add_node(src_child_node.local_transform, src_child_node.data, node_id);
+			expand_children(src, hier, src_child, child);
+		}
+	}
+
+	template<typename T>
+	transform_hierarchy<T> transform_hierarchy<T>::export_node(unsigned int id) const
+	{
+		auto node = this->get_node(id);
+		transform_hierarchy<T> ret;
+		unsigned int new_root = ret.add_node(this->get_global_transform(id), node.data);
+		expand_children<T>(*this, ret, id, new_root);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
 	template<typename T>
 	const transform_node<T>& transform_hierarchy<T>::get_node(unsigned int id) const
 	{
@@ -115,6 +147,49 @@ namespace tz
 		return global;
 	}
 
+	template<typename T>
+	void transform_hierarchy<T>::iterate_children(unsigned int id, tz::action<unsigned int> auto callback) const
+	{
+		const auto& node = this->get_node(id);
+		for(unsigned int child : node.children)
+		{
+			callback(child);
+		}
+	}
+
+	template<typename T>
+	void transform_hierarchy<T>::iterate_descendants(unsigned int id, tz::action<unsigned int> auto callback) const
+	{
+		const auto& node = this->get_node(id);
+		for(unsigned int child : node.children)
+		{
+			callback(child);
+			this->iterate_descendants(child, callback);
+		}
+	}
+
+	template<typename T>
+	void transform_hierarchy<T>::iterate_ancestors(unsigned int id, tz::action<unsigned int> auto callback) const
+	{
+		auto maybe_parent = this->get_node(id).parent;
+		if(maybe_parent.has_value())
+		{
+			callback(maybe_parent.value());
+			this->iterate_ancestors(maybe_parent.value(), callback);
+		}
+	}
+
+	template<typename T>
+	void transform_hierarchy<T>::iterate_nodes(tz::action<unsigned int> auto callback) const
+	{
+		auto root_node_ids = this->get_root_node_ids();
+		for(unsigned int root_node : root_node_ids)
+		{
+			callback(root_node);
+			this->iterate_descendants(root_node, callback);
+		}
+	}
+
 	template<typename T>
 	void transform_hierarchy<T>::dbgui()
 	{
@@ -137,10 +212,13 @@ namespace tz
 			}
 			tz::mat4 local = node.local_transform.matrix();
 			tz::mat4 global = this->get_global_transform(node_id).matrix();
-			ImGui::Text("Local Transform");
-			tz::dbgui_model(local);
-			ImGui::Text("Global Transform");
-			tz::dbgui_model(global);
+			if(local != tz::mat4::identity())
+			{
+				ImGui::Text("Local Transform");
+				tz::dbgui_model(local);
+				ImGui::Text("Global Transform");
+				tz::dbgui_model(global);
+			}
 			for(unsigned int child_idx : node.children)
 			{
 				this->dbgui_node(child_idx);
diff --git a/test/core/transform_hierarchy_test.cpp b/test/core/transform_hierarchy_test.cpp
index 9b58029769..8c196d9a42 100644
--- a/test/core/transform_hierarchy_test.cpp
+++ b/test/core/transform_hierarchy_test.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,47 @@ void combine_hierarchy_into_node()
 	tz::assert(lhs.get_node(rhsroot + offset).parent == lhschild);
 }
 
+void export_hierarchy()
+{
+	tz::transform_hierarchy<std::string> lhs;
+	unsigned int lhsroot = lhs.add_node({.translate = {10.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f}}, "LHS ROOT");
+	unsigned int lhschild = lhs.add_node({}, "LHS CHILD", lhsroot);
+	unsigned int lhsgrandchild = lhs.add_node({}, "LHS GRANDCHILD", lhschild);
+	unsigned int lhsgreatgrandchild = lhs.add_node({}, "LHS GREAT-GRANDCHILD", lhsgrandchild);
+	tz::assert(lhs.size() == 4);
+
+	tz::transform_hierarchy<std::string> exported = lhs.export_node(lhschild);
+	tz::assert(exported.size() == 3);
+	tz::assert(exported.get_root_node_ids().size() == 1);
+	unsigned int exported_root = exported.get_root_node_ids().front();
+	tz::assert(exported.get_node(exported_root).data == "LHS CHILD");
+	tz::assert(exported.get_node(exported_root).children.size() == 1);
+	auto grandchild_new_idx = exported.get_node(exported_root).children.front();
+	tz::assert(exported.get_node(grandchild_new_idx).data == "LHS GRANDCHILD");
+	tz::assert(exported.get_node(grandchild_new_idx).children.size() == 1);
+	auto greatgrandchild_new_idx = exported.get_node(grandchild_new_idx).children.front();
+	tz::assert(exported.get_node(greatgrandchild_new_idx).data == "LHS GREAT-GRANDCHILD");
+}
+
+void iterate_nodes()
+{
+	std::size_t count = 0;
+
+	tz::transform_hierarchy<std::string> lhs;
+	unsigned int lhsroot = lhs.add_node({.translate = {10.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f}}, "LHS ROOT");
+	unsigned int lhschild = lhs.add_node({}, "LHS CHILD", lhsroot);
+	unsigned int lhsgrandchild = lhs.add_node({}, "LHS GRANDCHILD", lhschild);
+	unsigned int lhsgreatgrandchild = lhs.add_node({}, "LHS GREAT-GRANDCHILD", lhsgrandchild);
+	tz::assert(lhs.size() == 4);
+
+	lhs.iterate_nodes([&count](unsigned int id)
+	{
+		count++;
+		(void)id;
+	});
+	tz::assert(count >= lhs.size());
+}
+
 int main()
 {
 	empty_hierarchy_tests();
@@ -77,4 +118,6 @@ int main()
 	parent_moves_child();
 	combine_hierarchies();
 	combine_hierarchy_into_node();
+	export_hierarchy();
+	iterate_nodes();
 }
\ No newline at end of file