diff --git a/library/src/lib.rs b/library/src/lib.rs
index 83dbe17aa..0850faf4a 100644
--- a/library/src/lib.rs
+++ b/library/src/lib.rs
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ fn global(math: Module, calc: Module) -> Module {
     global.define("counter", meta::counter);
     global.define("numbering", meta::numbering);
     global.define("state", meta::state);
+    global.define("query", meta::query);
 
     // Symbols.
     global.define("sym", symbols::sym());
diff --git a/library/src/meta/mod.rs b/library/src/meta/mod.rs
index 1d7740580..50b8627e2 100644
--- a/library/src/meta/mod.rs
+++ b/library/src/meta/mod.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ mod heading;
 mod link;
 mod numbering;
 mod outline;
+mod query;
 mod reference;
 mod state;
 
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ pub use self::heading::*;
 pub use self::link::*;
 pub use self::numbering::*;
 pub use self::outline::*;
+pub use self::query::*;
 pub use self::reference::*;
 pub use self::state::*;
 
diff --git a/library/src/meta/query.rs b/library/src/meta/query.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c91f0d1ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/src/meta/query.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+use crate::prelude::*;
+
+/// Find elements in the document.
+///
+/// Display: Query
+/// Category: meta
+/// Returns: content
+#[func]
+pub fn query(
+    /// The thing to search for.
+    target: Target,
+    /// A function to format the results with.
+    format: Func,
+) -> Value {
+    QueryNode::new(target.0, format).pack().into()
+}
+
+/// A query target.
+struct Target(Selector);
+
+cast_from_value! {
+    Target,
+    label: Label => Self(Selector::Label(label)),
+    func: Func => {
+        let Some(id) = func.id() else {
+            return Err("this function is not selectable".into());
+        };
+
+        if !Content::new(id).can::<dyn Locatable>() {
+            Err(eco_format!("cannot query for {}s", id.name))?;
+        }
+
+        Self(Selector::Node(id, None))
+    }
+}
+
+/// Executes a query.
+///
+/// Display: Query
+/// Category: special
+#[node(Locatable, Show)]
+pub struct QueryNode {
+    /// The thing to search for.
+    #[required]
+    pub target: Selector,
+
+    /// The function to format the results with.
+    #[required]
+    pub format: Func,
+}
+
+impl Show for QueryNode {
+    fn show(&self, vt: &mut Vt, _: StyleChain) -> SourceResult<Content> {
+        if !vt.introspector.init() {
+            return Ok(Content::empty());
+        }
+
+        let id = self.0.stable_id().unwrap();
+        let target = self.target();
+        let (before, after) = vt.introspector.query_split(target, id);
+        let func = self.format();
+        let args = Args::new(func.span(), [encode(before), encode(after)]);
+        Ok(func.call_detached(vt.world, args)?.display())
+    }
+}
+
+fn encode(list: Vec<&Content>) -> Value {
+    Value::Array(list.into_iter().cloned().map(Value::Content).collect())
+}
diff --git a/src/model/typeset.rs b/src/model/typeset.rs
index 4c8be1356..e9cb3d2c6 100644
--- a/src/model/typeset.rs
+++ b/src/model/typeset.rs
@@ -166,6 +166,22 @@ impl Introspector {
         self.all().filter(|node| selector.matches(node)).collect()
     }
 
+    /// Query for all metadata matches before the given id.
+    pub fn query_split(
+        &self,
+        selector: Selector,
+        id: StableId,
+    ) -> (Vec<&Content>, Vec<&Content>) {
+        let mut iter = self.all();
+        let before = iter
+            .by_ref()
+            .take_while(|node| node.stable_id() != Some(id))
+            .filter(|node| selector.matches(node))
+            .collect();
+        let after = iter.filter(|node| selector.matches(node)).collect();
+        (before, after)
+    }
+
     /// Find the page number for the given stable id.
     pub fn page(&self, id: StableId) -> NonZeroUsize {
         self.location(id).page
diff --git a/tests/ref/meta/query.png b/tests/ref/meta/query.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..809812020
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/ref/meta/query.png differ
diff --git a/tests/typ/meta/query.typ b/tests/typ/meta/query.typ
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..85608e8e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/typ/meta/query.typ
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// Test the query function.
+
+---
+#set page(
+  paper: "a7",
+  margin: (y: 1cm, x: 0.5cm),
+  header: {
+    smallcaps[Typst Academy]
+    h(1fr)
+    query(heading, (before, after) => {
+      let elem = if before.len() != 0 {
+        before.last()
+      } else if after.len() != 0 {
+        after.first()
+      }
+      emph(elem.body)
+    })
+  }
+)
+
+#outline()
+
+= Introduction
+#lorem(35)
+
+= Background
+#lorem(35)
+
+= Approach
+#lorem(60)