diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py
index 78942c0030..529722bf96 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py
@@ -105,12 +105,21 @@ def instructor_dashboard_2(request, course_id):
     if max_enrollment_for_buttons is not None:
         disable_buttons = enrollment_count > max_enrollment_for_buttons
 
+    analytics_dashboard_message = None
+    if settings.ANALYTICS_DASHBOARD_URL:
+        # Construct a URL to the external analytics dashboard
+        analytics_dashboard_url = '{0}/courses/{1}'.format(settings.ANALYTICS_DASHBOARD_URL, unicode(course_key))
+        link_start = "<a href=\"{}\" target=\"_blank\">".format(analytics_dashboard_url)
+        analytics_dashboard_message = _("To gain insights into student enrollment and participation, {link_start}visit the new dashboard for course analytics{link_end}.")
+        analytics_dashboard_message = analytics_dashboard_message.format(link_start=link_start, link_end="</a>")
+
     context = {
         'course': course,
         'old_dashboard_url': reverse('instructor_dashboard_legacy', kwargs={'course_id': course_key.to_deprecated_string()}),
         'studio_url': studio_url,
         'sections': sections,
         'disable_buttons': disable_buttons,
+        'analytics_dashboard_message': analytics_dashboard_message
     }
 
     return render_to_response('instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/instructor_dashboard_2.html', context)
diff --git a/lms/envs/aws.py b/lms/envs/aws.py
index 7cd2b7d7bd..3e3c10d8d2 100644
--- a/lms/envs/aws.py
+++ b/lms/envs/aws.py
@@ -354,6 +354,9 @@ ANALYTICS_API_KEY = AUTH_TOKENS.get("ANALYTICS_API_KEY", "")
 ANALYTICS_DATA_URL = ENV_TOKENS.get("ANALYTICS_DATA_URL", ANALYTICS_DATA_URL)
 ANALYTICS_DATA_TOKEN = AUTH_TOKENS.get("ANALYTICS_DATA_TOKEN", ANALYTICS_DATA_TOKEN)
 
+# Analytics Dashboard
+ANALYTICS_DASHBOARD_URL = ENV_TOKENS.get("ANALYTICS_DASHBOARD_URL", ANALYTICS_DASHBOARD_URL)
+
 # Zendesk
 ZENDESK_USER = AUTH_TOKENS.get("ZENDESK_USER")
 ZENDESK_API_KEY = AUTH_TOKENS.get("ZENDESK_API_KEY")
diff --git a/lms/envs/bok_choy.env.json b/lms/envs/bok_choy.env.json
index 84b7649368..7911805333 100644
--- a/lms/envs/bok_choy.env.json
+++ b/lms/envs/bok_choy.env.json
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {
     "ANALYTICS_SERVER_URL": "",
+    "ANALYTICS_DASHBOARD_URL": "",
     "BOOK_URL": "",
     "BUGS_EMAIL": "bugs@example.com",
     "BULK_EMAIL_DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL": "no-reply@example.com",
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index 45df9dcfa8..7ae3f8346b 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -1673,3 +1673,4 @@ OPENID_DOMAIN_PREFIX = 'openid:'
 ### Analytics data api settings
 ANALYTICS_DATA_URL = ""
 ANALYTICS_DATA_TOKEN = ""
+ANALYTICS_DASHBOARD_URL = ""
diff --git a/lms/envs/devstack.py b/lms/envs/devstack.py
index 3da4768c5c..79dc492570 100644
--- a/lms/envs/devstack.py
+++ b/lms/envs/devstack.py
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ ANALYTICS_DATA_URL = "http://127.0.0.1:8080"
 ANALYTICS_DATA_TOKEN = ""
 FEATURES['ENABLE_ANALYTICS_ACTIVE_COUNT'] = False
 
+# Set this to the dashboard URL in order to display the link from the
+# dashboard to the Analytics Dashboard.
+ANALYTICS_DASHBOARD_URL = None
+
 
 ################################ DEBUG TOOLBAR ################################
 
diff --git a/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/instructor_dashboard_2.html b/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/instructor_dashboard_2.html
index ecd2840f4f..04be03a3a1 100644
--- a/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/instructor_dashboard_2.html
+++ b/lms/templates/instructor/instructor_dashboard_2/instructor_dashboard_2.html
@@ -76,6 +76,12 @@
         <p>${_("We've changed the look and feel of the Instructor Dashboard. During this transition time, you can still access the old Instructor Dashboard by clicking the 'Revert to Legacy Dashboard' button above.")}</p>
     </div>
 
+    %if analytics_dashboard_message:
+      <div class="wrapper-msg urgency-low is-shown">
+          <p>${analytics_dashboard_message}</p>
+      </div>
+    %endif
+
   ## links which are tied to idash-sections below.
   ## the links are activated and handled in instructor_dashboard.coffee
   ## when the javascript loads, it clicks on the first section