diff --git a/src/array/mod.rs b/src/array/mod.rs
index 02735c3d0b..8302057eda 100644
--- a/src/array/mod.rs
+++ b/src/array/mod.rs
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@
 //!
 //! Most arrays contain a [`MutableArray`] counterpart that is neither clonable nor slicable, but
 //! can be operated in-place.
-use std::any::Any;
+use std::any::{type_name, Any};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
-use crate::error::Result;
+use crate::error::{Error, Result};
 use crate::{
     bitmap::{Bitmap, MutableBitmap},
     datatypes::DataType,
@@ -142,6 +142,12 @@ pub trait Array: Send + Sync + dyn_clone::DynClone + 'static {
 
     /// Clone a `&dyn Array` to an owned `Box<dyn Array>`.
     fn to_boxed(&self) -> Box<dyn Array>;
+
+    #[doc(hidden)]
+    #[inline]
+    fn as_mut_any(&mut self) -> &mut dyn Any {
+        self.as_any_mut()
+    }
 }
 
 dyn_clone::clone_trait_object!(Array);
@@ -703,6 +709,93 @@ impl<'a> AsRef<(dyn Array + 'a)> for dyn Array {
     }
 }
 
+mod downcast {
+    use super::{Array, DataType, MutableArray};
+    use std::any::Any;
+
+    /// Arrays that can be downcasted to a concrete type ([`Array`] and [`MutableArray`]).
+    pub trait ArrayAny {
+        /// The [`DataType`] of the array.
+        fn data_type(&self) -> &DataType;
+        /// Converts itself to a reference of [`Any`].
+        fn as_any(&self) -> &dyn Any;
+        /// Converts itself to a mutable reference of [`Any`].
+        fn as_mut_any(&mut self) -> &mut dyn Any;
+    }
+
+    macro_rules! impl_array_any {
+        ($ty:ident) => {
+            impl ArrayAny for dyn $ty {
+                #[inline]
+                fn data_type(&self) -> &DataType {
+                    $ty::data_type(self)
+                }
+
+                #[inline]
+                fn as_any(&self) -> &dyn Any {
+                    $ty::as_any(self)
+                }
+
+                #[inline]
+                fn as_mut_any(&mut self) -> &mut dyn Any {
+                    $ty::as_mut_any(self)
+                }
+            }
+
+            impl ArrayAny for Box<dyn $ty> {
+                #[inline]
+                fn data_type(&self) -> &DataType {
+                    $ty::data_type(self.as_ref())
+                }
+
+                #[inline]
+                fn as_any(&self) -> &dyn Any {
+                    $ty::as_any(self.as_ref())
+                }
+
+                #[inline]
+                fn as_mut_any(&mut self) -> &mut dyn Any {
+                    $ty::as_mut_any(self.as_mut())
+                }
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+    impl_array_any!(Array);
+    impl_array_any!(MutableArray);
+}
+
+/// Downcast an array reference to a concrete type.
+#[inline]
+pub fn downcast_ref<M: 'static>(array: &(impl downcast::ArrayAny + ?Sized)) -> Result<&M> {
+    array.as_any().downcast_ref().ok_or_else(|| {
+        Error::oos(format!(
+            "Unable to downcast array of data type {:?} into {}",
+            array.data_type(),
+            type_name::<M>()
+        ))
+    })
+}
+
+/// Downcast a mutable array reference to a concrete type.
+#[inline]
+pub fn downcast_mut<M: 'static>(array: &mut (impl downcast::ArrayAny + ?Sized)) -> Result<&mut M> {
+    let arr_ptr = array.as_mut_any() as *mut dyn Any;
+    // Safety: this is sound and is only to avoid non-polonius borrow checker which erroneously
+    // thinks that array will be mutable borrowed even past the return point; we know that the
+    // pointer comes from a mutable reference and we are returning a reference bound to the same
+    // lifetime.
+    if let Some(array) = unsafe { (*arr_ptr).downcast_mut::<M>() } {
+        Ok(array)
+    } else {
+        Err(Error::oos(format!(
+            "Unable to downcast array of data type {:?} into {}",
+            array.data_type(),
+            type_name::<M>()
+        )))
+    }
+}
+
 mod binary;
 mod boolean;
 mod dictionary;
diff --git a/tests/it/array/mod.rs b/tests/it/array/mod.rs
index 85318ba628..02a100d444 100644
--- a/tests/it/array/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/it/array/mod.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ mod struct_;
 mod union;
 mod utf8;
 
-use arrow2::array::{clone, new_empty_array, new_null_array, Array, PrimitiveArray};
+use arrow2::array::{
+    clone, downcast_mut, downcast_ref, new_empty_array, new_null_array, Array, MutableArray,
+    MutablePrimitiveArray, PrimitiveArray,
+};
 use arrow2::bitmap::Bitmap;
 use arrow2::datatypes::{DataType, Field, UnionMode};
 
@@ -140,3 +143,27 @@ fn test_with_validity() {
 struct A {
     array: Box<dyn Array>,
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn test_downcast() {
+    let arr = PrimitiveArray::from_slice([1i32, 2, 3]);
+    let arr_box: Box<dyn Array> = Box::new(arr.clone());
+    assert_eq!(downcast_ref::<PrimitiveArray<i32>>(&arr_box).unwrap(), &arr);
+    assert_eq!(
+        downcast_ref::<PrimitiveArray<i32>>(arr_box.as_ref()).unwrap(),
+        &arr
+    );
+    assert!(downcast_ref::<PrimitiveArray<u8>>(&arr_box).is_err());
+
+    let mut_arr = MutablePrimitiveArray::from_slice([1i32, 2, 3]);
+    let mut mut_arr_box: Box<dyn MutableArray> = Box::new(mut_arr.clone());
+    assert_eq!(
+        downcast_mut::<MutablePrimitiveArray<i32>>(&mut mut_arr_box).unwrap(),
+        &mut_arr
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        downcast_mut::<MutablePrimitiveArray<i32>>(mut_arr_box.as_mut()).unwrap(),
+        &mut_arr
+    );
+    assert!(downcast_mut::<MutablePrimitiveArray<u8>>(&mut mut_arr_box).is_err());
+}