diff --git a/doc/sphinx/cython/importing.rst b/doc/sphinx/cython/importing.rst
index 45f91b237..ac46889f1 100644
--- a/doc/sphinx/cython/importing.rst
+++ b/doc/sphinx/cython/importing.rst
@@ -47,3 +47,4 @@ Utility Functions
 -----------------
 
 .. autofunction:: add_directory
+.. autofunction:: get_data_directories
diff --git a/include/cantera/base/global.h b/include/cantera/base/global.h
index ffcbeda0f..4beb38744 100644
--- a/include/cantera/base/global.h
+++ b/include/cantera/base/global.h
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@ std::string findInputFile(const std::string& name);
 
 //! @copydoc Application::addDataDirectory
 void addDirectory(const std::string& dir);
+
+//! @copydoc Application::getDataDirectories
+std::string getDataDirectories(const std::string& sep);
 //@}
 
 //! Delete and free all memory associated with the application
diff --git a/interfaces/cython/cantera/_cantera.pxd b/interfaces/cython/cantera/_cantera.pxd
index c120069f2..18ee8eaac 100644
--- a/interfaces/cython/cantera/_cantera.pxd
+++ b/interfaces/cython/cantera/_cantera.pxd
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ cdef extern from "cantera/base/stringUtils.h" namespace "Cantera":
 
 cdef extern from "cantera/base/global.h" namespace "Cantera":
     cdef void CxxAddDirectory "Cantera::addDirectory" (string)
+    cdef string CxxGetDataDirectories "Cantera::getDataDirectories" (string)
     cdef size_t CxxNpos "Cantera::npos"
     cdef void CxxAppdelete "Cantera::appdelete" ()
     cdef XML_Node* CxxGetXmlFile "Cantera::get_XML_File" (string) except +translate_exception
diff --git a/interfaces/cython/cantera/utils.pyx b/interfaces/cython/cantera/utils.pyx
index a93a02996..22daa43ea 100644
--- a/interfaces/cython/cantera/utils.pyx
+++ b/interfaces/cython/cantera/utils.pyx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # at http://www.cantera.org/license.txt for license and copyright information.
 
 import sys
+import os
 from cpython.ref cimport PyObject
 
 cdef int _pythonMajorVersion = sys.version_info[0]
@@ -31,6 +32,10 @@ def add_directory(directory):
     """ Add a directory to search for Cantera data files. """
     CxxAddDirectory(stringify(directory))
 
+def get_data_directories():
+    """ Get a list of the directories Cantera searches for data files. """
+    return pystr(CxxGetDataDirectories(stringify(os.pathsep))).split(os.pathsep)
+
 __sundials_version__ = '.'.join(str(get_sundials_version()))
 
 __version__ = pystr(get_cantera_version())
diff --git a/src/base/application.h b/src/base/application.h
index fb264d8bc..68090ba07 100644
--- a/src/base/application.h
+++ b/src/base/application.h
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 #include "cantera/base/config.h"
 #include "cantera/base/logger.h"
 
+#include <boost/algorithm/string/join.hpp>
+
 #include <set>
 #include <thread>
 
@@ -265,6 +267,20 @@ public:
      */
     std::string findInputFile(const std::string& name);
 
+    //! Get the Cantera data directories
+    /*!
+     * This routine returns a string including the names of all the
+     * directories searched by Cantera for data files.
+     *
+     * @param sep Separator to use between directories in the string
+     * @return A string of directories separated by the input sep
+     *
+     * @ingroup inputfiles
+     */
+    std::string getDataDirectories(const std::string& sep) {
+        return boost::algorithm::join(inputDirs, sep);
+    }
+
     //! Return a pointer to the XML tree for a Cantera input file.
     /*!
      * This routine will find the file and read the XML file into an XML tree
diff --git a/src/base/global.cpp b/src/base/global.cpp
index c0ceeacce..edbab3862 100644
--- a/src/base/global.cpp
+++ b/src/base/global.cpp
@@ -137,6 +137,11 @@ void addDirectory(const std::string& dir)
     app()->addDataDirectory(dir);
 }
 
+std::string getDataDirectories(const std::string& sep)
+{
+    return app()->getDataDirectories(sep);
+}
+
 std::string findInputFile(const std::string& name)
 {
     return app()->findInputFile(name);