diff --git a/src/components/Navigation.tsx b/src/components/Navigation.tsx
index cbae970..99e3c02 100644
--- a/src/components/Navigation.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Navigation.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
+import { useState, useEffect, useRef, useCallback } from "react";
 import Link from "next/link";
 import { usePathname } from "next/navigation";
+import gsap from "gsap";
 import { Menu, X } from "lucide-react";
 import { site, navLinks, socialLinks } from "../data/site";
 import { Icon } from "@/lib/icons";
@@ -11,6 +12,18 @@ export default function Navigation() {
   const [scrolled, setScrolled] = useState(false);
   const [mobileOpen, setMobileOpen] = useState(false);
   const pathname = usePathname();
+  const menuRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const backdropRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const linksRef = useRef<HTMLUListElement>(null);
+  const socialsRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const timelineRef = useRef<gsap.core.Timeline | null>(null);
+  const prefersReducedMotion = useRef(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    prefersReducedMotion.current = window.matchMedia(
+      "(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)"
+    ).matches;
+  }, []);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const handleScroll = () => setScrolled(window.scrollY > 50);
@@ -24,6 +37,130 @@ export default function Navigation() {
     window.scrollTo(0, 0);
   }, [pathname]);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (mobileOpen) {
+      document.body.style.overflow = "hidden";
+    } else {
+      document.body.style.overflow = "";
+    }
+    return () => {
+      document.body.style.overflow = "";
+    };
+  }, [mobileOpen]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handleKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (e.key === "Escape" && mobileOpen) {
+        setMobileOpen(false);
+      }
+    };
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", handleKeyDown);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", handleKeyDown);
+  }, [mobileOpen]);
+
+  const animateOpen = useCallback(() => {
+    const menu = menuRef.current;
+    const backdrop = backdropRef.current;
+    const links = linksRef.current;
+    const socials = socialsRef.current;
+    if (!menu || !backdrop || !links || !socials) return;
+
+    if (prefersReducedMotion.current) {
+      gsap.set(menu, { opacity: 1, y: 0 });
+      gsap.set(backdrop, { opacity: 1 });
+      gsap.set([...links.children, ...socials.children], { opacity: 1, y: 0 });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const tl = gsap.timeline();
+    timelineRef.current = tl;
+
+    tl.set(menu, { display: "block" })
+      .fromTo(
+        backdrop,
+        { opacity: 0 },
+        { opacity: 1, duration: 0.2, ease: "power2.out" }
+      )
+      .fromTo(
+        menu,
+        { opacity: 0, y: -10 },
+        { opacity: 1, y: 0, duration: 0.25, ease: "power2.out" },
+        "<"
+      )
+      .fromTo(
+        links.children,
+        { opacity: 0, y: 12 },
+        {
+          opacity: 1,
+          y: 0,
+          duration: 0.3,
+          stagger: 0.04,
+          ease: "power2.out",
+        },
+        "-=0.1"
+      )
+      .fromTo(
+        socials.children,
+        { opacity: 0, y: 8 },
+        {
+          opacity: 1,
+          y: 0,
+          duration: 0.25,
+          stagger: 0.04,
+          ease: "power2.out",
+        },
+        "-=0.15"
+      );
+  }, []);
+
+  const animateClose = useCallback(() => {
+    const menu = menuRef.current;
+    const backdrop = backdropRef.current;
+    const links = linksRef.current;
+    const socials = socialsRef.current;
+    if (!menu || !backdrop || !links || !socials) return;
+
+    if (timelineRef.current) {
+      timelineRef.current.kill();
+    }
+
+    if (prefersReducedMotion.current) {
+      gsap.set(menu, { display: "none", opacity: 0 });
+      gsap.set(backdrop, { opacity: 0, display: "none" });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const tl = gsap.timeline({
+      onComplete: () => {
+        gsap.set(menu, { display: "none" });
+        gsap.set(backdrop, { display: "none" });
+      },
+    });
+
+    tl.to(links.children, {
+      opacity: 0,
+      y: -6,
+      duration: 0.15,
+      stagger: 0.02,
+      ease: "power2.in",
+    })
+      .to(
+        socials.children,
+        { opacity: 0, duration: 0.12, stagger: 0.02, ease: "power2.in" },
+        "<"
+      )
+      .to(menu, { opacity: 0, y: -8, duration: 0.2, ease: "power2.in" }, "-=0.08")
+      .to(backdrop, { opacity: 0, duration: 0.2, ease: "power2.in" }, "<");
+  }, []);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (mobileOpen) {
+      animateOpen();
+    } else {
+      animateClose();
+    }
+  }, [mobileOpen, animateOpen, animateClose]);
+
   return (
     <header
       className={`fixed top-0 left-0 right-0 z-50 transition-colors duration-300 [will-change:transform] ${
@@ -79,46 +216,69 @@ export default function Navigation() {
 
         {/* Mobile Menu Button */}
         <button
-          className="md:hidden text-text-primary"
+          className="md:hidden relative w-6 h-6"
           onClick={() => setMobileOpen(!mobileOpen)}
-          aria-label="Toggle menu"
+          aria-label={mobileOpen ? "Close menu" : "Open menu"}
+          aria-expanded={mobileOpen}
         >
-          {mobileOpen ? <X size={24} /> : <Menu size={24} />}
+          <Menu
+            size={24}
+            className={`absolute inset-0 text-text-primary transition-opacity duration-200 ease-out ${
+              mobileOpen ? "opacity-0" : "opacity-100"
+            }`}
+          />
+          <X
+            size={24}
+            className={`absolute inset-0 text-text-primary transition-opacity duration-200 ease-out ${
+              mobileOpen ? "opacity-100" : "opacity-0"
+            }`}
+          />
         </button>
       </nav>
 
+      {/* Backdrop */}
+      <div
+        ref={backdropRef}
+        className="fixed inset-0 bg-black/40 backdrop-blur-sm z-40 md:hidden"
+        style={{ display: "none", opacity: 0 }}
+        onClick={() => setMobileOpen(false)}
+        aria-hidden="true"
+      />
+
       {/* Mobile Menu */}
-      {mobileOpen && (
-        <div className="md:hidden bg-deep-space/95 border-t border-warm-grey/50 px-[5vw] py-8">
-          <ul className="space-y-4 mb-8">
-            {navLinks.map((link) => (
-              <li key={link.href}>
-                <Link
-                  href={link.href}
-                  className="block text-lg text-text-primary"
-                  onClick={() => setMobileOpen(false)}
-                >
-                  {link.label}
-                </Link>
-              </li>
-            ))}
-          </ul>
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-6">
-            {socialLinks.map((link) => (
-              <a
-                key={link.label}
+      <div
+        ref={menuRef}
+        className="md:hidden bg-deep-space/98 border-t border-warm-grey/50 px-[5vw] py-8 z-40"
+        style={{ display: "none", opacity: 0 }}
+      >
+        <ul ref={linksRef} className="space-y-4 mb-8">
+          {navLinks.map((link) => (
+            <li key={link.href}>
+              <Link
                 href={link.href}
-                target="_blank"
-                rel="noopener noreferrer"
-                aria-label={link.label}
-                className="text-text-secondary hover:text-amber transition-colors"
+                className="block text-lg text-text-primary"
+                onClick={() => setMobileOpen(false)}
               >
-                <Icon name={link.icon} size={20} />
-              </a>
-            ))}
-          </div>
+                {link.label}
+              </Link>
+            </li>
+          ))}
+        </ul>
+        <div ref={socialsRef} className="flex items-center gap-6">
+          {socialLinks.map((link) => (
+            <a
+              key={link.label}
+              href={link.href}
+              target="_blank"
+              rel="noopener noreferrer"
+              aria-label={link.label}
+              className="text-text-secondary hover:text-amber transition-colors"
+            >
+              <Icon name={link.icon} size={20} />
+            </a>
+          ))}
         </div>
-      )}
+      </div>
     </header>
   );
 }