diff --git a/client/cypress/integration/frontend/instruments/instruments-page.spec.js b/client/cypress/integration/frontend/instruments/instruments-page.spec.js
index 8bb11746..0e36b2a0 100644
--- a/client/cypress/integration/frontend/instruments/instruments-page.spec.js
+++ b/client/cypress/integration/frontend/instruments/instruments-page.spec.js
@@ -1,22 +1,50 @@
+const LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION = 'LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION';
+const LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION_VALUE = 'Sprache & Kommunikation';
+const SOCIETY = 'SOCIETY';
+const SOCIETY_VALUE = 'Gesellschaft';
+const INTERDISCIPLINARY = 'INTERDISCIPLINARY';
+const INTERDISCIPLINARY_VALUE = 'Überfachliche Instrumente';
+
 describe('Instruments Page', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     cy.setup();
+
+
+    const languageCategory = {
+      name: LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION_VALUE,
+      id: LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION,
+      foreground: '#000000',
+      background: '#00ffff',
+    };
+    const societyCategory = {
+      name: SOCIETY_VALUE,
+      id: SOCIETY,
+      foreground: '#ffffff',
+      background: '#000fff',
+    };
+    const ANALYSE = 'analyse';
+    const ARGUMENTATION = 'argumentation';
+    const ETHIK = 'ethik';
+
     const analyse = {
       name: 'Analyse',
-      category: 'LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION',
-      type: 'analyse',
+      category: languageCategory,
+      type: ANALYSE,
+      id: ANALYSE
     };
 
     const argumentation = {
       name: 'Argumentation',
-      category: 'LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION',
-      type: 'argumentation',
+      category: languageCategory,
+      type: ARGUMENTATION,
+      id: ARGUMENTATION
     };
 
     const ethik = {
       name: 'Ethik',
-      category: 'SOCIETY',
-      type: 'ethik',
+      category: societyCategory,
+      type: ETHIK,
+      id: ETHIK
     };
 
     cy.mockGraphqlOps({
@@ -38,23 +66,40 @@ describe('Instruments Page', () => {
               type: ethik,
               title: 'Instrument: Ethik',
               slug: 'ethik',
-            }
+            },
           ],
         },
-        InstrumentTypesQuery: {
-          instrumentTypes: [
-            analyse,
-            argumentation,
+        InstrumentCategoriesQuery: {
+          instrumentCategories: [
             {
-              name: 'Beschreibung',
-              category: 'LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION',
-              type: 'beschreibung',
+              name: 'Sprache & Kommunikation',
+              id: LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION,
+              types: [
+                analyse,
+                argumentation,
+                {
+                  name: 'Beschreibung',
+                  category: languageCategory,
+                  type: 'beschreibung',
+                },
+              ],
             },
-            ethik,
             {
-              name: 'Identität und Sozialisation',
-              category: 'SOCIETY',
-              type: 'identitt-und-sozialisation',
+              name: SOCIETY_VALUE,
+              id: SOCIETY,
+              types: [
+                ethik,
+                {
+                  name: 'Identität und Sozialisation',
+                  category: societyCategory,
+                  type: 'identitt-und-sozialisation',
+                },
+              ],
+            },
+            {
+              name: INTERDISCIPLINARY_VALUE,
+              id: INTERDISCIPLINARY,
+              types: [],
             },
           ],
         },
@@ -67,19 +112,19 @@ describe('Instruments Page', () => {
 
     cy.getByDataCy('instrument').should('have.length', 3);
 
-    cy.getByDataCy('filter-language-communication').click();
+    cy.contains(LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION_VALUE).click();
     cy.getByDataCy('instrument').should('have.length', 2);
 
-    cy.getByDataCy('filter-society').click();
+    cy.contains(SOCIETY_VALUE).click();
     cy.getByDataCy('instrument').should('have.length', 1);
 
-    cy.getByDataCy('filter-interdisciplinary').click();
+    cy.contains(INTERDISCIPLINARY_VALUE).click();
     cy.getByDataCy('instrument').should('have.length', 0);
 
-    cy.getByDataCy('filter-analyse').click();
+    cy.contains('Analyse').click();
     cy.getByDataCy('instrument').should('have.length', 1);
 
-    cy.getByDataCy('filter-ethik').click();
+    cy.contains('Ethik').click();
     cy.getByDataCy('instrument').should('have.length', 1);
 
     cy.getByDataCy('filter-all-instruments').click();
diff --git a/client/src/components/instruments/FilterEntry.vue b/client/src/components/instruments/FilterEntry.vue
index 1226bb46..4d3ef067 100644
--- a/client/src/components/instruments/FilterEntry.vue
+++ b/client/src/components/instruments/FilterEntry.vue
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 </template>
 
 <script>
-  import {INTERDISCIPLINARY, LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION, SOCIETY} from '@/consts/instrument.consts';
   import INSTRUMENT_FILTER_QUERY from 'gql/local/instrumentFilter.gql';
   const ChevronRight = () => import(/* webpackChunkName: "icons" */'@/components/icons/ChevronRight');
 
@@ -22,7 +21,7 @@
         type: String,
         required: true,
       },
-      type: {
+      id: {
         type: String,
         default: '',
       },
@@ -31,8 +30,8 @@
         default: false,
       },
       category: {
-        type: String,
-        default: '',
+        type: Object,
+        default: () => {},
       },
     },
 
@@ -65,9 +64,6 @@
       },
       typeClass() {
         return {
-          'filter-entry--language-communication': this.category === LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION,
-          'filter-entry--society': this.category === SOCIETY,
-          'filter-entry--interdisciplinary': this.category === INTERDISCIPLINARY,
           'filter-entry--active': this.isActive,
           'filter-entry--category': this.isCategory,
         };
diff --git a/client/src/components/instruments/FilterGroup.vue b/client/src/components/instruments/FilterGroup.vue
index c767aec8..413c5b83 100644
--- a/client/src/components/instruments/FilterGroup.vue
+++ b/client/src/components/instruments/FilterGroup.vue
@@ -3,20 +3,20 @@
     <filter-entry
       :text="title"
       v-bind="$attrs"
-      :type="category"
       :category="category"
       :is-category="true"
-      @click.native="setCategoryFilter(category)"
+      :id="category.id"
+      @click.native="setCategoryFilter(category.id)"
     />
     <div class="filter-group__children">
       <filter-entry
         :data-cy="`filter-${type.type}`"
         :category="type.category"
         :text="type.name"
-        :type="type.type"
         v-for="type in types"
+        :id="type.id"
         :key="type.id"
-        @click.native="setFilter(`type:${type.type}`)"
+        @click.native="setFilter(`type:${type.id}`)"
       />
     </div>
   </div>
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
         default: () => [],
       },
       category: {
-        type: String,
-        default: '',
+        type: Object,
+        default: () => ({}),
       },
     },
     components: {
diff --git a/client/src/components/instruments/InstrumentEntry.vue b/client/src/components/instruments/InstrumentEntry.vue
index 64ee5320..091881e1 100644
--- a/client/src/components/instruments/InstrumentEntry.vue
+++ b/client/src/components/instruments/InstrumentEntry.vue
@@ -1,15 +1,21 @@
 <template>
   <div
-    :class="typeClass"
+    :style="{
+      color: instrument.type.category.foreground,
+      backgroundColor: instrument.type.category.background
+    }"
     class="instrument-entry"
   >
     <h4
       class="instrument-entry__category"
+      :style="{color: instrument.type.category.foreground}"
       data-cy="instrument-subheader"
     >
       {{ categoryName }}
     </h4>
-    <h3 class="instrument-entry__title">
+    <h3
+      class="instrument-entry__title"
+    >
       {{ instrument.title }}
     </h3>
   </div>
diff --git a/client/src/components/instruments/InstrumentFilter.vue b/client/src/components/instruments/InstrumentFilter.vue
index c5d197eb..675e4c02 100644
--- a/client/src/components/instruments/InstrumentFilter.vue
+++ b/client/src/components/instruments/InstrumentFilter.vue
@@ -6,72 +6,34 @@
     />
 
     <filter-group
-      :types="languageCommunicationTypes"
-      :category="LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION"
-      title="Sprache und Kommunikation"
-      data-cy="filter-language-communication"
-      class="instrument-filter__group--language"
-    />
-
-    <filter-group
-      :types="societyTypes"
-      :category="SOCIETY"
-      title="Gesellschaft"
-      data-cy="filter-society"
-    />
-
-    <filter-group
-      :category="INTERDISCIPLINARY"
-      title="Überfachliche Instrumente"
-      data-cy="filter-interdisciplinary"
+      :types="category.types"
+      :category="category"
+      :title="category.name"
+      v-for="category in instrumentCategories"
+      :key="category.id"
     />
   </div>
 </template>
 
 <script>
-  import {INTERDISCIPLINARY, LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION, SOCIETY} from '@/consts/instrument.consts';
 
   import FilterGroup from '@/components/instruments/FilterGroup';
 
-  import INSTRUMENT_TYPES_QUERY from 'gql/queries/instrumentTypesQuery';
+  import INSTRUMENT_CATEGORIES_QUERY from 'gql/queries/instrumentCategoriesQuery.gql';
 
   export default {
-
     components: {
       FilterGroup,
     },
     data() {
       return {
-        filter: '',
-        LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION,
-        SOCIETY,
-        INTERDISCIPLINARY,
-        instrumentTypes: [],
+        instrumentCategories: [],
       };
     },
 
-    computed: {
-      languageCommunicationTypes() {
-        return this.instrumentTypes.filter(t => t.category === 'LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION');
-      },
-      societyTypes() {
-        return this.instrumentTypes.filter(t => t.category === 'SOCIETY');
-      },
-      interdisciplinaryTypes() {
-        return this.instrumentTypes.filter(t => t.category === 'INTERDISCIPLINARY');
-      },
-    },
-
-    methods: {
-      setFilter(filter) {
-        this.filter = filter;
-        this.$emit('filter', filter);
-      }
-    },
-
     apollo: {
-      instrumentTypes: {
-        query: INSTRUMENT_TYPES_QUERY,
+      instrumentCategories: {
+        query: INSTRUMENT_CATEGORIES_QUERY,
       },
     },
   };
diff --git a/client/src/graphql/gql/fragments/instrumentParts.gql b/client/src/graphql/gql/fragments/instrumentParts.gql
index 26d3f5c3..9d90b65a 100644
--- a/client/src/graphql/gql/fragments/instrumentParts.gql
+++ b/client/src/graphql/gql/fragments/instrumentParts.gql
@@ -13,7 +13,12 @@ fragment InstrumentParts on InstrumentNode {
   type {
     id
     name
-    category
+    category {
+      id
+      name
+      foreground
+      background
+    }
     type
   }
   contents
diff --git a/client/src/graphql/gql/queries/instrumentCategoriesQuery.gql b/client/src/graphql/gql/queries/instrumentCategoriesQuery.gql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0d565b1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/graphql/gql/queries/instrumentCategoriesQuery.gql
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+query InstrumentCategoriesQuery {
+  instrumentCategories {
+    name
+    id
+    types {
+      name
+      id
+      type
+      category {
+        id
+        name
+        foreground
+        background
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/client/src/graphql/gql/queries/instrumentTypesQuery.gql b/client/src/graphql/gql/queries/instrumentTypesQuery.gql
index 78b8b0db..3637fed8 100644
--- a/client/src/graphql/gql/queries/instrumentTypesQuery.gql
+++ b/client/src/graphql/gql/queries/instrumentTypesQuery.gql
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@ query InstrumentTypesQuery {
   instrumentTypes {
     name
     type
-    category
+    category {
+      id
+      name
+      foreground
+      background
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/client/src/graphql/gql/queries/instrumentsQuery.gql b/client/src/graphql/gql/queries/instrumentsQuery.gql
index 290846b4..6d042b07 100644
--- a/client/src/graphql/gql/queries/instrumentsQuery.gql
+++ b/client/src/graphql/gql/queries/instrumentsQuery.gql
@@ -7,7 +7,12 @@ query InstrumentsQuery {
     type {
       id
       type
-      category
+      category {
+        id
+        name
+        foreground
+        background
+      }
       name
     }
   }
diff --git a/client/src/helpers/instrumentType.js b/client/src/helpers/instrumentType.js
index a4892494..f2562d29 100644
--- a/client/src/helpers/instrumentType.js
+++ b/client/src/helpers/instrumentType.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ const instrumentType = (instrument) => {
   if (typeof instrument === 'string') {
     category = instrument;
   } else {
-    category = instrument.type.category;
+    return instrument.type.category.name;
   }
   return typeDictionary[category] || '';
 };
diff --git a/client/src/pages/instrumentOverview.vue b/client/src/pages/instrumentOverview.vue
index 21eb7fdf..e93f6041 100644
--- a/client/src/pages/instrumentOverview.vue
+++ b/client/src/pages/instrumentOverview.vue
@@ -48,7 +48,11 @@
           const {currentFilter} = instrumentFilter;
           if (currentFilter && currentFilter.indexOf(':') > -1) {
             const [filterType, identifier] = currentFilter.split(':');
-            this.filter = i => i.type[filterType] === identifier;
+            if(filterType === 'type') {
+              this.filter = i => i.type.id === identifier;
+            } else {
+              this.filter = i => i.type.category.id === identifier;
+            }
           } else {
             this.filter = i => i; // identity
           }
diff --git a/server/assignments/tests/test_myassignments.py b/server/assignments/tests/test_myassignments.py
index b7a4e205..68e6adfd 100644
--- a/server/assignments/tests/test_myassignments.py
+++ b/server/assignments/tests/test_myassignments.py
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ from users.models import User
 from users.services import create_users
 
 
-class MyAssignemntsText(DefaultUserTestCase):
+class MyAssignmentsTest(DefaultUserTestCase):
     def setUp(self):
-        super(MyAssignemntsText, self).setUp()
+        super(MyAssignmentsTest, self).setUp()
         self.assignment = AssignmentFactory(
             owner=self.teacher
         )
@@ -119,7 +119,10 @@ class MyAssignemntsText(DefaultUserTestCase):
                         type {
                           id
                           type
-                          category
+                          category {
+                            id
+                            name
+                          }
                         }
                         slug
                           bookmarks {
diff --git a/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0019_auto_20220913_0820.py b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0019_auto_20220913_0820.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ddbe1094
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0019_auto_20220913_0820.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.13 on 2022-09-13 08:20
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+import django.db.models.deletion
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('basicknowledge', '0018_alter_basicknowledge_contents'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.CreateModel(
+            name='InstrumentCategory',
+            fields=[
+                ('id', models.AutoField(auto_created=True, primary_key=True, serialize=False, verbose_name='ID')),
+                ('name', models.CharField(max_length=255, unique=True)),
+                ('background', models.CharField(max_length=7, verbose_name='background color')),
+                ('foreground', models.CharField(max_length=7, verbose_name='foreground color')),
+            ],
+            options={
+                'verbose_name_plural': 'instrument categories',
+            },
+        ),
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='instrumenttype',
+            name='new_category',
+            field=models.ForeignKey(default=None, null=True, on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.PROTECT, to='basicknowledge.instrumentcategory'),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0020_auto_20220908_1517.py b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0020_auto_20220908_1517.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f61d0ebc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0020_auto_20220908_1517.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.13 on 2022-09-08 15:17
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION = 'language_communication'
+SOCIETY = 'society'
+INTERDISCIPLINARY = 'interdisciplinary'
+
+CATEGORY_CHOICES = (
+    (LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION, '#DAA009', '#FFF5D9', 'Sprache & Kommunikation'),
+    (SOCIETY, '#0F7CAC', '#DBEEF6', 'Gesellschaft'),
+    (INTERDISCIPLINARY, '#99B53E', '#F3F9E3', 'Überfachliche Instrumente'),
+)
+
+def create_categories(apps, schema_editor):
+    InstrumentCategory = apps.get_model('basicknowledge', 'InstrumentCategory')
+    InstrumentType = apps.get_model('basicknowledge', 'InstrumentType')
+    for code, foreground, background, category in CATEGORY_CHOICES:
+        instrument_category = InstrumentCategory.objects.create(name=category, background=background, foreground=foreground)
+        InstrumentType.objects.filter(category=code).update(new_category=instrument_category)
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('basicknowledge', '0019_auto_20220913_0820'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RunPython(create_categories, migrations.RunPython.noop)
+    ]
diff --git a/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0021_remove_instrumenttype_category.py b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0021_remove_instrumenttype_category.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0d74e617
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0021_remove_instrumenttype_category.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.13 on 2022-09-13 08:52
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('basicknowledge', '0020_auto_20220908_1517'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RemoveField(
+            model_name='instrumenttype',
+            name='category',
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0022_rename_new_category_instrumenttype_category.py b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0022_rename_new_category_instrumenttype_category.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c32e621
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0022_rename_new_category_instrumenttype_category.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.13 on 2022-09-13 08:52
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('basicknowledge', '0021_remove_instrumenttype_category'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RenameField(
+            model_name='instrumenttype',
+            old_name='new_category',
+            new_name='category',
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0023_alter_instrumenttype_category.py b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0023_alter_instrumenttype_category.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a2c5dd6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0023_alter_instrumenttype_category.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.13 on 2022-09-13 09:01
+
+import basicknowledge.models
+from django.db import migrations, models
+import django.db.models.deletion
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('basicknowledge', '0022_rename_new_category_instrumenttype_category'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='instrumenttype',
+            name='category',
+            field=models.ForeignKey(default=basicknowledge.models.default_category, on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.PROTECT, to='basicknowledge.instrumentcategory'),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0024_auto_20220913_1055.py b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0024_auto_20220913_1055.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fdb1b91e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/basicknowledge/migrations/0024_auto_20220913_1055.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.13 on 2022-09-13 10:55
+
+import basicknowledge.models
+from django.db import migrations, models
+import django.db.models.deletion
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('basicknowledge', '0023_alter_instrumenttype_category'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='basicknowledge',
+            name='old_type',
+            field=models.CharField(blank=True, choices=[('language_communication', 'Sprache & Kommunikation'), ('society', 'Gesellschaft'), ('interdisciplinary', 'Überfachliche Instrumente')], max_length=100),
+        ),
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='instrumenttype',
+            name='category',
+            field=models.ForeignKey(default=basicknowledge.models.default_category, on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.PROTECT, related_name='instrument_types', to='basicknowledge.instrumentcategory'),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/server/basicknowledge/models.py b/server/basicknowledge/models.py
index 45fa3e1f..9afa333a 100644
--- a/server/basicknowledge/models.py
+++ b/server/basicknowledge/models.py
@@ -13,19 +13,41 @@ from core.wagtail_utils import StrictHierarchyPage
 LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION = 'language_communication'
 SOCIETY = 'society'
 INTERDISCIPLINARY = 'interdisciplinary'
+LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION_LABEL = 'Sprache & Kommunikation'
+SOCIETY_LABEL = 'Gesellschaft'
+INTERDISCIPLINARY_LABEL = 'Überfachliche Instrumente'
+
+
+class InstrumentCategory(models.Model):
+    name = models.CharField(max_length=255, unique=True)
+    background = models.CharField('background color', max_length=7)
+    foreground = models.CharField('foreground color', max_length=7)
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return self.name
+
+    class Meta:
+        verbose_name_plural = 'instrument categories'
+
+
+def default_category():
+    return InstrumentCategory.objects.first().pk
 
 
 class InstrumentType(models.Model):
     CATEGORY_CHOICES = (
-        (LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION, 'Sprache & Kommunikation'),
-        (SOCIETY, 'Gesellschaft'),
-        (INTERDISCIPLINARY, 'Überfachliches Instrument'),
+        (LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION_LABEL),
+        (SOCIETY, SOCIETY_LABEL),
+        (INTERDISCIPLINARY, INTERDISCIPLINARY_LABEL),
     )
 
     name = models.CharField(max_length=255, unique=True)
-    category = models.CharField(
-        max_length=100,
-        choices=CATEGORY_CHOICES
+    category = models.ForeignKey(
+        InstrumentCategory,
+        on_delete=models.PROTECT,
+        null=False,
+        default=default_category,
+        related_name='instrument_types'
     )
 
     @property
@@ -36,7 +58,6 @@ class InstrumentType(models.Model):
         return self.type
 
 
-
 class BasicKnowledge(StrictHierarchyPage):
     parent_page_types = ['books.book']
 
diff --git a/server/basicknowledge/queries.py b/server/basicknowledge/queries.py
index 2a3e4f6f..1d592a6b 100644
--- a/server/basicknowledge/queries.py
+++ b/server/basicknowledge/queries.py
@@ -6,14 +6,31 @@ from api.graphene_wagtail import GenericStreamFieldType
 from api.utils import get_object
 from notes.models import InstrumentBookmark
 from notes.schema import InstrumentBookmarkNode
-from .models import BasicKnowledge, InstrumentType
+from .models import BasicKnowledge, InstrumentCategory, InstrumentType
+
+
+class InstrumentCategoryNode(DjangoObjectType):
+    types = graphene.List('basicknowledge.queries.InstrumentTypeNode')
+
+    class Meta:
+        model = InstrumentCategory
+        interfaces = (relay.Node,)
+        only_fields = [
+            'name', 'foreground', 'background', 'id'
+        ]
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def resolve_types(root: InstrumentCategory, info, **kwargs):
+        return root.instrument_types.filter(instruments__isnull=False).order_by('name').distinct()
 
 
 class InstrumentTypeNode(DjangoObjectType):
     type = graphene.String(required=True)
+    category = graphene.Field(InstrumentCategoryNode)
 
     class Meta:
         model = InstrumentType
+        interfaces = (relay.Node,)
         only_fields = [
             'name', 'category', 'type', 'id'
         ]
@@ -51,6 +68,7 @@ class InstrumentQuery(object):
     instrument = graphene.Field(InstrumentNode, slug=graphene.String(), id=graphene.ID())
     instruments = graphene.List(InstrumentNode)
     instrument_types = graphene.List(InstrumentTypeNode)
+    instrument_categories = graphene.List(InstrumentCategoryNode)
 
     def resolve_instrument(self, info, **kwargs):
         slug = kwargs.get('slug')
@@ -67,3 +85,6 @@ class InstrumentQuery(object):
 
     def resolve_instrument_types(self, info, **kwargs):
         return InstrumentType.objects.filter(instruments__isnull=False).order_by('name').distinct()
+
+    def resolve_instrument_categories(self, info, **kwargs):
+        return InstrumentCategory.objects.all()
diff --git a/server/basicknowledge/tests/test_instrument_types_query.py b/server/basicknowledge/tests/test_instrument_types_query.py
index 25e28b44..4435e08e 100644
--- a/server/basicknowledge/tests/test_instrument_types_query.py
+++ b/server/basicknowledge/tests/test_instrument_types_query.py
@@ -6,7 +6,12 @@ query InstrumentTypesQuery {
   instrumentTypes {
     name
     type
-    category
+    category {
+      id
+      name
+      foreground
+      background
+    }
   }
 }
 """
diff --git a/server/basicknowledge/wagtail_hooks.py b/server/basicknowledge/wagtail_hooks.py
index d847d985..a287f519 100644
--- a/server/basicknowledge/wagtail_hooks.py
+++ b/server/basicknowledge/wagtail_hooks.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from wagtail.contrib.modeladmin.options import ModelAdmin, modeladmin_register
-from .models import BasicKnowledge
+from .models import BasicKnowledge, InstrumentCategory, InstrumentType
 
 
 class InstrumentAdmin(ModelAdmin):
@@ -9,4 +9,18 @@ class InstrumentAdmin(ModelAdmin):
     search_fields = ('title', 'new_type__name')
 
 
+class InstrumentCategoryAdmin(ModelAdmin):
+    model = InstrumentCategory
+    list_display = ('name', 'background', 'foreground')
+
+
+class InstrumentTypeAdmin(ModelAdmin):
+    model = InstrumentType
+    list_display = ('name', 'category',)
+    inspect_view_enabled = True
+    inspect_view_fields = ('name', 'category', 'instruments',)
+
+
 modeladmin_register(InstrumentAdmin)
+modeladmin_register(InstrumentCategoryAdmin)
+modeladmin_register(InstrumentTypeAdmin)
diff --git a/server/books/factories.py b/server/books/factories.py
index 4e90311c..53626e89 100644
--- a/server/books/factories.py
+++ b/server/books/factories.py
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ from wagtail.core.models import Page, Site
 from wagtail.core.rich_text import RichText
 
 from assignments.models import Assignment
-from basicknowledge.models import BasicKnowledge, INTERDISCIPLINARY, InstrumentType, LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION, SOCIETY
+from basicknowledge.models import BasicKnowledge, INTERDISCIPLINARY, INTERDISCIPLINARY_LABEL, InstrumentCategory, \
+    InstrumentType, \
+    LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION_LABEL, SOCIETY, SOCIETY_LABEL
 from books.blocks import AssignmentBlock, BasicKnowledgeBlock, ImageUrlBlock, LinkBlock, VideoBlock
 from books.models import Book, Chapter, ContentBlock, Module, TextBlock, Topic
 from core.factories import BasePageFactory, DummyImageFactory, fake, fake_paragraph, fake_title
@@ -70,11 +72,20 @@ class TextBlockFactory(wagtail_factories.StructBlockFactory):
         model = TextBlock
 
 
+class InstrumentCategoryFactory(factory.DjangoModelFactory):
+    class Meta:
+        model = InstrumentCategory
+        django_get_or_create = ('name',)
+
+    name = factory.Iterator([LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION_LABEL, SOCIETY_LABEL, INTERDISCIPLINARY_LABEL])
+    foreground = factory.Iterator(['FF0000', 'FFFFFF', '000000'])
+    background = factory.Iterator(['FF0000', 'FFFFFF', '000000'])
+
 class InstrumentTypeFactory(factory.DjangoModelFactory):
     class Meta:
         model = InstrumentType
 
-    category = factory.Iterator([LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION, SOCIETY, INTERDISCIPLINARY])
+    category = factory.SubFactory(InstrumentCategoryFactory)
     name = factory.LazyAttribute(lambda x: fake.text(max_nb_chars=20))
 
 
diff --git a/server/schema.graphql b/server/schema.graphql
index 98cd30bf..cd8c68d8 100644
--- a/server/schema.graphql
+++ b/server/schema.graphql
@@ -511,6 +511,14 @@ type InstrumentBookmarkNode implements Node {
   instrument: InstrumentNode!
 }
 
+type InstrumentCategoryNode {
+  id: ID!
+  name: String!
+  background: String!
+  foreground: String!
+  types: [InstrumentTypeNode]
+}
+
 type InstrumentNode implements Node {
   title: String!
   slug: String!
@@ -531,16 +539,10 @@ type InstrumentNodeEdge {
   cursor: String!
 }
 
-enum InstrumentTypeCategory {
-  LANGUAGE_COMMUNICATION
-  SOCIETY
-  INTERDISCIPLINARY
-}
-
 type InstrumentTypeNode {
   id: ID!
   name: String!
-  category: InstrumentTypeCategory!
+  category: InstrumentCategoryNode
   type: String!
 }
 
@@ -874,6 +876,7 @@ type Query {
   instrument(slug: String, id: ID): InstrumentNode
   instruments: [InstrumentNode]
   instrumentTypes: [InstrumentTypeNode]
+  instrumentCategories: [InstrumentCategoryNode]
   studentSubmission(id: ID!): StudentSubmissionNode
   assignment(id: ID!): AssignmentNode
   assignments: [AssignmentNode]