diff --git a/frontend/app/layout.js b/frontend/app/layout.js
index 9a448ace..0dce6f86 100644
--- a/frontend/app/layout.js
+++ b/frontend/app/layout.js
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@ export const metadata = {
 export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
   return (
     <html lang="en">
+      <head>
+        <script
+          dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{
+            __html: `(function(){try{var t=localStorage.getItem("stellarhunts.theme");if(t!=="light"&&t!=="dark"){t=window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)").matches?"dark":"light";}document.documentElement.classList.add(t);}catch(e){}})();`,
+          }}
+        />
+      </head>
       <body
         className={`${geistSans.variable} ${geistMono.variable} antialiased`}
       >
diff --git a/frontend/components/Navbar.jsx b/frontend/components/Navbar.jsx
index dac7cf78..7aa93b4e 100644
--- a/frontend/components/Navbar.jsx
+++ b/frontend/components/Navbar.jsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import React, { useState } from "react";
 import Link from "next/link";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Menu, X, Gamepad, Trophy, Book, User, Users } from "lucide-react";
+import ThemeToggle from "@/components/ThemeToggle";
 
 const NavigationHeader = () => {
   const [isMenuOpen, setIsMenuOpen] = useState(false);
@@ -67,20 +68,23 @@ const NavigationHeader = () => {
               </Button>
             </div>
 
-            {/* Mobile menu button */}
-            <div className="md:hidden">
-              <Button
-                variant="ghost"
-                size="icon"
-                onClick={() => setIsMenuOpen(!isMenuOpen)}
-                className="text-gray-300 hover:text-white"
-              >
-                {isMenuOpen ? (
-                  <X className="w-6 h-6" />
-                ) : (
-                  <Menu className="w-6 h-6" />
-                )}
-              </Button>
+            {/* Theme toggle + mobile menu button */}
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-1">
+              <ThemeToggle className="text-gray-300 hover:text-white" />
+              <div className="md:hidden">
+                <Button
+                  variant="ghost"
+                  size="icon"
+                  onClick={() => setIsMenuOpen(!isMenuOpen)}
+                  className="text-gray-300 hover:text-white"
+                >
+                  {isMenuOpen ? (
+                    <X className="w-6 h-6" />
+                  ) : (
+                    <Menu className="w-6 h-6" />
+                  )}
+                </Button>
+              </div>
             </div>
           </div>
         </nav>
diff --git a/frontend/components/ThemeToggle.jsx b/frontend/components/ThemeToggle.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e88f3c56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/components/ThemeToggle.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { Moon, Sun } from "lucide-react";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { useTheme } from "@/hooks/useTheme";
+
+/**
+ * ThemeToggle
+ * -----------
+ * Light/dark theme switch (#694). Cycles between the two themes and persists
+ * the choice through `useTheme`. Renders a sun or moon icon depending on the
+ * active theme.
+ */
+export default function ThemeToggle({ className }) {
+  const { theme, toggleTheme } = useTheme();
+  const isDark = theme === "dark";
+
+  return (
+    <Button
+      type="button"
+      variant="ghost"
+      size="icon"
+      className={className}
+      onClick={toggleTheme}
+      aria-label={isDark ? "Switch to light theme" : "Switch to dark theme"}
+      title={isDark ? "Switch to light theme" : "Switch to dark theme"}
+    >
+      {isDark ? <Sun className="w-5 h-5" /> : <Moon className="w-5 h-5" />}
+    </Button>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/hooks/useTheme.js b/frontend/hooks/useTheme.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c8394d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/hooks/useTheme.js
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from "react";
+
+/**
+ * localStorage key holding the user's explicit theme choice.
+ */
+export const THEME_STORAGE_KEY = "stellarhunts.theme";
+
+/**
+ * useTheme
+ * --------
+ * Light/dark theme state for the app (#694).
+ *
+ *  - Resolves the initial theme from the persisted choice, falling back to
+ *    the system `prefers-color-scheme` preference on first visit.
+ *  - Applies `dark` / `light` classes to `document.documentElement`, matching
+ *    the Tailwind `darkMode: ["class"]` configuration.
+ *  - Persists an explicit toggle choice in `localStorage`.
+ *
+ * @returns {{ theme: "light"|"dark", setTheme: Function, toggleTheme: Function }}
+ */
+export function useTheme() {
+  const [theme, setThemeState] = useState("light");
+
+  // On mount, read the persisted choice or the system preference. The inline
+  // script in the root layout has already applied the class before hydration,
+  // so this only syncs React state with what is on the document.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (typeof window === "undefined") return;
+
+    const stored = window.localStorage.getItem(THEME_STORAGE_KEY);
+    if (stored === "light" || stored === "dark") {
+      setThemeState(stored);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const prefersDark =
+      window.matchMedia &&
+      window.matchMedia("(prefers-color-scheme: dark)").matches;
+    setThemeState(prefersDark ? "dark" : "light");
+  }, []);
+
+  const applyTheme = useCallback((next) => {
+    if (typeof document === "undefined") return;
+    const root = document.documentElement;
+    root.classList.toggle("dark", next === "dark");
+    root.classList.toggle("light", next === "light");
+  }, []);
+
+  const setTheme = useCallback(
+    (next) => {
+      setThemeState(next);
+      applyTheme(next);
+      if (typeof window !== "undefined") {
+        window.localStorage.setItem(THEME_STORAGE_KEY, next);
+      }
+    },
+    [applyTheme]
+  );
+
+  const toggleTheme = useCallback(() => {
+    setTheme(theme === "dark" ? "light" : "dark");
+  }, [theme, setTheme]);
+
+  return { theme, setTheme, toggleTheme };
+}
+
+export default useTheme;