diff --git a/core/include/aare/Frame.hpp b/core/include/aare/Frame.hpp
index e33563f..41c9b68 100644
--- a/core/include/aare/Frame.hpp
+++ b/core/include/aare/Frame.hpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ template <class DataType> class Frame {
     Frame(ssize_t rows, ssize_t cols);
     Frame(std::byte *fp, ssize_t rows, ssize_t cols);
     DataType get(int row, int col);
+    std::vector<std::vector<DataType>> get_array();
     ssize_t rows() const{
         return m_rows;
     }
diff --git a/core/src/Frame.cpp b/core/src/Frame.cpp
index 28d72b7..3d4e940 100644
--- a/core/src/Frame.cpp
+++ b/core/src/Frame.cpp
@@ -25,5 +25,17 @@ DataType Frame<DataType>::get(int row, int col) {
   return m_data[row*m_cols + col];
 }
 
+template <typename DataType>
+std::vector<std::vector<DataType>> Frame<DataType>::get_array() {
+  std::vector<std::vector<DataType>> array;
+  for (int i = 0; i < m_rows; i++) {
+    std::vector<DataType> row;
+    row.assign(m_data + i*m_cols, m_data + (i+1)*m_cols);
+    array.push_back(row);
+  }
+
+  return array;
+}
+
 
 template class Frame<uint16_t>;
diff --git a/python/aare/File.py b/python/aare/File.py
index da454e9..fe8a026 100644
--- a/python/aare/File.py
+++ b/python/aare/File.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class File:
             raise FileNotFoundError(f"File not found: {path}")
         ext = os.path.splitext(path)[1]
 
-        if ext not in (".raw", ".json"):
+        if ext not in (".raw", ".json", ".npy"):
             raise ValueError(f"Invalid file extension: {ext}")
         
         if ext == ".json":
@@ -33,6 +33,17 @@ class File:
                 bitdepth = 16
             else:
                 bitdepth = master_data["Dynamic Range"]
+        elif ext == ".npy":
+            # TODO: find solution for this. maybe add a None detector type
+            detector = "Jungfrau"
+            with open(path, "rb") as fobj:
+                import numpy as np
+                version = np.lib.format.read_magic(fobj)
+                # find what function to call based on the version
+                func_name = 'read_array_header_' + '_'.join(str(v) for v in version)
+                func = getattr(np.lib.format, func_name)
+                header = func(fobj)
+                bitdepth = header[2].itemsize * 8
         else:
             NotImplementedError("Raw file not implemented yet")
 
diff --git a/python/example/read_frame.py b/python/example/read_frame.py
index 293ac45..2191305 100644
--- a/python/example/read_frame.py
+++ b/python/example/read_frame.py
@@ -1,13 +1,32 @@
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
 from aare import File, Frame
+import numpy as np
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
+
+
     #get env variable
     root_dir = Path(os.environ.get("PROJECT_ROOT_DIR"))
+
+    # read JSON master file
     data_path = str(root_dir / "data"/"jungfrau_single_master_0.json")
 
     file = File(data_path)
     frame = file.get_frame(0)
     print(frame.rows, frame.cols)
-    print(frame.get(0,0))
\ No newline at end of file
+    print(frame.get(0,0))
+
+    # read Numpy file
+
+    data_path = str(root_dir / "data"/"test_numpy_file.npy")
+    file = File(data_path)
+    frame = file.get_frame(0)
+    print(frame.rows, frame.cols)
+    print(frame.get(0,0))
+    
+    arr = np.array(frame.get_array())
+    print(arr)
+    print(arr.shape)
+    
+    print(np.array_equal(arr, np.load(data_path)[0]))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/python/src/bindings.cpp b/python/src/bindings.cpp
index 91c880b..d14b0ee 100644
--- a/python/src/bindings.cpp
+++ b/python/src/bindings.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <filesystem>
 #include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
+#include <pybind11/stl.h>
 #include <string>
 
 #include "aare/defs.hpp"
@@ -27,10 +28,13 @@ PYBIND11_MODULE(_aare, m) {
     py::class_<Frame<uint16_t>>(m, "_Frame16")
         .def(py::init<std::byte*, ssize_t, ssize_t>())
         .def("get", &Frame<uint16_t>::get)
+        .def("get_array", &Frame<uint16_t>::get_array)
         .def_property_readonly("rows", &Frame<uint16_t>::rows)
         .def_property_readonly("cols", &Frame<uint16_t>::cols)
         .def_property_readonly("bitdepth", &Frame<uint16_t>::bitdepth);
 
+    
+