diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 2bc3a356..f8df681d 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -1,3 +1,39 @@
+v3.6.0
+======
+
+* #284: Introduces new ``EntryPoints`` object, a tuple of
+  ``EntryPoint`` objects but with convenience properties for
+  selecting and inspecting the results:
+
+  - ``.select()`` accepts ``group`` or ``name`` keyword
+    parameters and returns a new ``EntryPoints`` tuple
+    with only those that match the selection.
+  - ``.groups`` property presents all of the group names.
+  - ``.names`` property presents the names of the entry points.
+  - Item access (e.g. ``eps[name]``) retrieves a single
+    entry point by name.
+
+  ``entry_points`` now accepts "selection parameters",
+  same as ``EntryPoint.select()``.
+
+  ``entry_points()`` now provides a future-compatible
+  ``SelectableGroups`` object that supplies the above interface
+  but remains a dict for compatibility.
+
+  In the future, ``entry_points()`` will return an
+  ``EntryPoints`` object, but provide for backward
+  compatibility with a deprecated  ``__getitem__``
+  accessor by group and a ``get()`` method.
+
+  If passing selection parameters to ``entry_points``, the
+  future behavior is invoked and an ``EntryPoints`` is the
+  result.
+
+  Construction of entry points using
+  ``dict([EntryPoint, ...])`` is now deprecated and raises
+  an appropriate DeprecationWarning and will be removed in
+  a future version.
+
 v3.5.0
 ======
 
diff --git a/docs/using.rst b/docs/using.rst
index 00409867..97941452 100644
--- a/docs/using.rst
+++ b/docs/using.rst
@@ -67,18 +67,20 @@ This package provides the following functionality via its public API.
 Entry points
 ------------
 
-The ``entry_points()`` function returns a dictionary of all entry points,
-keyed by group.  Entry points are represented by ``EntryPoint`` instances;
+The ``entry_points()`` function returns a collection of entry points.
+Entry points are represented by ``EntryPoint`` instances;
 each ``EntryPoint`` has a ``.name``, ``.group``, and ``.value`` attributes and
 a ``.load()`` method to resolve the value.  There are also ``.module``,
 ``.attr``, and ``.extras`` attributes for getting the components of the
 ``.value`` attribute::
 
     >>> eps = entry_points()
-    >>> list(eps)
+    >>> sorted(eps.groups)
     ['console_scripts', 'distutils.commands', 'distutils.setup_keywords', 'egg_info.writers', 'setuptools.installation']
-    >>> scripts = eps['console_scripts']
-    >>> wheel = [ep for ep in scripts if ep.name == 'wheel'][0]
+    >>> scripts = eps.select(group='console_scripts')
+    >>> 'wheel' in scripts.names
+    True
+    >>> wheel = scripts['wheel']
     >>> wheel
     EntryPoint(name='wheel', value='wheel.cli:main', group='console_scripts')
     >>> wheel.module
diff --git a/importlib_metadata/__init__.py b/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
index 4c420a55..b0b1ae0e 100644
--- a/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
+++ b/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@
 import sys
 import zipp
 import email
+import inspect
 import pathlib
 import operator
+import warnings
 import functools
 import itertools
 import posixpath
@@ -130,10 +132,6 @@ def _from_text(cls, text):
         config.read_string(text)
         return cls._from_config(config)
 
-    @classmethod
-    def _from_text_for(cls, text, dist):
-        return (ep._for(dist) for ep in cls._from_text(text))
-
     def _for(self, dist):
         self.dist = dist
         return self
@@ -141,11 +139,12 @@ def _for(self, dist):
     def __iter__(self):
         """
         Supply iter so one may construct dicts of EntryPoints by name.
-
-        >>> eps = [EntryPoint('a', 'b', 'c'), EntryPoint('d', 'e', 'f')]
-        >>> dict(eps)['a']
-        EntryPoint(name='a', value='b', group='c')
         """
+        msg = (
+            "Construction of dict of EntryPoints is deprecated in "
+            "favor of EntryPoints."
+        )
+        warnings.warn(msg, DeprecationWarning)
         return iter((self.name, self))
 
     def __reduce__(self):
@@ -154,6 +153,118 @@ def __reduce__(self):
             (self.name, self.value, self.group),
         )
 
+    def matches(self, **params):
+        attrs = (getattr(self, param) for param in params)
+        return all(map(operator.eq, params.values(), attrs))
+
+
+class EntryPoints(tuple):
+    """
+    An immutable collection of selectable EntryPoint objects.
+    """
+
+    __slots__ = ()
+
+    def __getitem__(self, name):  # -> EntryPoint:
+        try:
+            return next(iter(self.select(name=name)))
+        except StopIteration:
+            raise KeyError(name)
+
+    def select(self, **params):
+        return EntryPoints(ep for ep in self if ep.matches(**params))
+
+    @property
+    def names(self):
+        return set(ep.name for ep in self)
+
+    @property
+    def groups(self):
+        """
+        For coverage while SelectableGroups is present.
+        >>> EntryPoints().groups
+        set()
+        """
+        return set(ep.group for ep in self)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _from_text_for(cls, text, dist):
+        return cls(ep._for(dist) for ep in EntryPoint._from_text(text))
+
+
+class SelectableGroups(dict):
+    """
+    A backward- and forward-compatible result from
+    entry_points that fully implements the dict interface.
+    """
+
+    @classmethod
+    def load(cls, eps):
+        by_group = operator.attrgetter('group')
+        ordered = sorted(eps, key=by_group)
+        grouped = itertools.groupby(ordered, by_group)
+        return cls((group, EntryPoints(eps)) for group, eps in grouped)
+
+    @property
+    def _all(self):
+        return EntryPoints(itertools.chain.from_iterable(self.values()))
+
+    @property
+    def groups(self):
+        return self._all.groups
+
+    @property
+    def names(self):
+        """
+        for coverage:
+        >>> SelectableGroups().names
+        set()
+        """
+        return self._all.names
+
+    def select(self, **params):
+        if not params:
+            return self
+        return self._all.select(**params)
+
+
+class LegacyGroupedEntryPoints(EntryPoints):  # pragma: nocover
+    """
+    Compatibility wrapper around EntryPoints to provide
+    much of the 'dict' interface previously returned by
+    entry_points.
+    """
+
+    def __getitem__(self, name) -> Union[EntryPoint, 'EntryPoints']:
+        """
+        When accessed by name that matches a group, return the group.
+        """
+        group = self.select(group=name)
+        if group:
+            msg = "GroupedEntryPoints.__getitem__ is deprecated for groups. Use select."
+            warnings.warn(msg, DeprecationWarning, stacklevel=2)
+            return group
+
+        return super().__getitem__(name)
+
+    def get(self, group, default=None):
+        """
+        For backward compatibility, supply .get.
+        """
+        is_flake8 = any('flake8' in str(frame) for frame in inspect.stack())
+        msg = "GroupedEntryPoints.get is deprecated. Use select."
+        is_flake8 or warnings.warn(msg, DeprecationWarning, stacklevel=2)
+        return self.select(group=group) or default
+
+    def select(self, **params):
+        """
+        Prevent transform to EntryPoints during call to entry_points if
+        no selection parameters were passed.
+        """
+        if not params:
+            return self
+        return super().select(**params)
+
 
 class PackagePath(pathlib.PurePosixPath):
     """A reference to a path in a package"""
@@ -310,7 +421,7 @@ def version(self):
 
     @property
     def entry_points(self):
-        return list(EntryPoint._from_text_for(self.read_text('entry_points.txt'), self))
+        return EntryPoints._from_text_for(self.read_text('entry_points.txt'), self)
 
     @property
     def files(self):
@@ -643,19 +754,29 @@ def version(distribution_name):
     return distribution(distribution_name).version
 
 
-def entry_points():
+def entry_points(**params) -> Union[EntryPoints, SelectableGroups]:
     """Return EntryPoint objects for all installed packages.
 
-    :return: EntryPoint objects for all installed packages.
+    Pass selection parameters (group or name) to filter the
+    result to entry points matching those properties (see
+    EntryPoints.select()).
+
+    For compatibility, returns ``SelectableGroups`` object unless
+    selection parameters are supplied. In the future, this function
+    will return ``LegacyGroupedEntryPoints`` instead of
+    ``SelectableGroups`` and eventually will only return
+    ``EntryPoints``.
+
+    For maximum future compatibility, pass selection parameters
+    or invoke ``.select`` with parameters on the result.
+
+    :return: EntryPoints or SelectableGroups for all installed packages.
     """
     unique = functools.partial(unique_everseen, key=operator.attrgetter('name'))
     eps = itertools.chain.from_iterable(
         dist.entry_points for dist in unique(distributions())
     )
-    by_group = operator.attrgetter('group')
-    ordered = sorted(eps, key=by_group)
-    grouped = itertools.groupby(ordered, by_group)
-    return {group: tuple(eps) for group, eps in grouped}
+    return SelectableGroups.load(eps).select(**params)
 
 
 def files(distribution_name):
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 04a5b9d3..a2810acc 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import re
 import textwrap
 import unittest
+import warnings
 
 from . import fixtures
 from importlib_metadata import (
@@ -64,13 +65,16 @@ def test_read_text(self):
         self.assertEqual(top_level.read_text(), 'mod\n')
 
     def test_entry_points(self):
-        entries = dict(entry_points()['entries'])
+        eps = entry_points()
+        assert 'entries' in eps.groups
+        entries = eps.select(group='entries')
+        assert 'main' in entries.names
         ep = entries['main']
         self.assertEqual(ep.value, 'mod:main')
         self.assertEqual(ep.extras, [])
 
     def test_entry_points_distribution(self):
-        entries = dict(entry_points()['entries'])
+        entries = entry_points(group='entries')
         for entry in ("main", "ns:sub"):
             ep = entries[entry]
             self.assertIn(ep.dist.name, ('distinfo-pkg', 'egginfo-pkg'))
@@ -96,14 +100,61 @@ def test_entry_points_unique_packages(self):
             },
         }
         fixtures.build_files(alt_pkg, alt_site_dir)
-        entries = dict(entry_points()['entries'])
+        entries = entry_points(group='entries')
         assert not any(
             ep.dist.name == 'distinfo-pkg' and ep.dist.version == '1.0.0'
-            for ep in entries.values()
+            for ep in entries
         )
         # ns:sub doesn't exist in alt_pkg
         assert 'ns:sub' not in entries
 
+    def test_entry_points_missing_name(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+            entry_points(group='entries')['missing']
+
+    def test_entry_points_missing_group(self):
+        assert entry_points(group='missing') == ()
+
+    def test_entry_points_dict_construction(self):
+        """
+        Prior versions of entry_points() returned simple lists and
+        allowed casting those lists into maps by name using ``dict()``.
+        Capture this now deprecated use-case.
+        """
+        with warnings.catch_warnings(record=True) as caught:
+            eps = dict(entry_points(group='entries'))
+
+        assert 'main' in eps
+        assert eps['main'] == entry_points(group='entries')['main']
+
+        # check warning
+        expected = next(iter(caught))
+        assert expected.category is DeprecationWarning
+        assert "Construction of dict of EntryPoints is deprecated" in str(expected)
+
+    def test_entry_points_groups_getitem(self):
+        """
+        Prior versions of entry_points() returned a dict. Ensure
+        that callers using '.__getitem__()' are supported but warned to
+        migrate.
+        """
+        with warnings.catch_warnings(record=True):
+            entry_points()['entries'] == entry_points(group='entries')
+
+        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+            entry_points()['missing']
+
+    def test_entry_points_groups_get(self):
+        """
+        Prior versions of entry_points() returned a dict. Ensure
+        that callers using '.get()' are supported but warned to
+        migrate.
+        """
+        with warnings.catch_warnings(record=True):
+            entry_points().get('missing', 'default') == 'default'
+            entry_points().get('entries', 'default') == entry_points()['entries']
+            entry_points().get('missing', ()) == ()
+
     def test_metadata_for_this_package(self):
         md = metadata('egginfo-pkg')
         assert md['author'] == 'Steven Ma'
diff --git a/tests/test_main.py b/tests/test_main.py
index 74979be8..e8a66c0d 100644
--- a/tests/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/test_main.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import pickle
 import textwrap
 import unittest
+import warnings
 import importlib
 import importlib_metadata
 import pyfakefs.fake_filesystem_unittest as ffs
@@ -57,13 +58,11 @@ def test_import_nonexistent_module(self):
             importlib.import_module('does_not_exist')
 
     def test_resolve(self):
-        entries = dict(entry_points()['entries'])
-        ep = entries['main']
+        ep = entry_points(group='entries')['main']
         self.assertEqual(ep.load().__name__, "main")
 
     def test_entrypoint_with_colon_in_name(self):
-        entries = dict(entry_points()['entries'])
-        ep = entries['ns:sub']
+        ep = entry_points(group='entries')['ns:sub']
         self.assertEqual(ep.value, 'mod:main')
 
     def test_resolve_without_attr(self):
@@ -249,7 +248,8 @@ def test_json_dump(self):
         json should not expect to be able to dump an EntryPoint
         """
         with self.assertRaises(Exception):
-            json.dumps(self.ep)
+            with warnings.catch_warnings(record=True):
+                json.dumps(self.ep)
 
     def test_module(self):
         assert self.ep.module == 'value'
diff --git a/tests/test_zip.py b/tests/test_zip.py
index 67311da2..4279046d 100644
--- a/tests/test_zip.py
+++ b/tests/test_zip.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def test_zip_version_does_not_match(self):
             version('definitely-not-installed')
 
     def test_zip_entry_points(self):
-        scripts = dict(entry_points()['console_scripts'])
+        scripts = entry_points(group='console_scripts')
         entry_point = scripts['example']
         self.assertEqual(entry_point.value, 'example:main')
         entry_point = scripts['Example']