diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.Debug.js.erb b/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.Debug.js.erb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..18fcb620
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.Debug.js.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Metamaps.Debug = function() {
+  console.debug(Metamaps)
+  console.debug(`Metamaps Version: ${Metamaps.VERSION}`)
+}
+Metamaps.debug = function() {
+  Metamaps.Debug()
+}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js.erb b/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js.erb
index c49e6801..231592da 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js.erb
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/src/Metamaps.js.erb
@@ -16,11 +16,12 @@ var labelType, useGradients, nativeTextSupport, animate;
     animate = !(iStuff || !nativeCanvasSupport);
 })();
 
-// TODO eliminate these 4 top-level variables
+// TODO eliminate these 5 top-level variables
 Metamaps.panningInt = null;
 Metamaps.tempNode = null;
 Metamaps.tempInit = false;
 Metamaps.tempNode2 = null;
+Metamaps.VERSION = '<%= VERSION %>'
 
 Metamaps.Settings = {
     embed: false, // indicates that the app is on a page that is optimized for embedding in iFrames on other web pages
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/_lightboxes.html.erb b/app/views/layouts/_lightboxes.html.erb
index 53e402a9..225433ed 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/_lightboxes.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/layouts/_lightboxes.html.erb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
             <div id="rightAboutParms">
                 <p>PRIVATE BETA</p>
-                <p>2.8</p>
+                <p><%= VERSION %></p>
                 <p>Mar 26, 2016</p>
             </div>
             <div class="clearfloat">
diff --git a/config/initializers/version.rb b/config/initializers/version.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9fd9407f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/initializers/version.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+VERSION = '2.8.3'