diff --git a/lib/components/controls_component.dart b/lib/components/controls_component.dart
index 3f31741..538bc27 100644
--- a/lib/components/controls_component.dart
+++ b/lib/components/controls_component.dart
@@ -29,8 +29,12 @@ class ControlsComponent {
     engine.step();
   }
 
-  void onResetClicked() {
-    sim.reset();
+  void onSaveClicked() {
+    sim.save();
+  }
+
+  void onLoadClicked() {
+    sim.load();
   }
 
   void onRandomClicked() {
@@ -39,6 +43,6 @@ class ControlsComponent {
   }
 
   void onClearClicked() {
-    sim.clear();
+    sim.reset();
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/components/controls_component.html b/lib/components/controls_component.html
index 42e79f7..764ca37 100644
--- a/lib/components/controls_component.html
+++ b/lib/components/controls_component.html
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <div id="controls">
-    <material-button id="reset" (click)="onResetClicked()"><material-icon icon="replay" baseline></material-icon></material-button>
+    <material-button id="save" (click)="onSaveClicked()"><material-icon icon="save" baseline></material-icon></material-button>
+    <material-button id="load" (click)="onLoadClicked()"><material-icon icon="history" baseline></material-icon></material-button>
     <material-button id="run" (click)="onStartClicked()">
         <span [ngSwitch]="engine.isRunning">
             <material-icon *ngSwitchCase="false" icon="play_arrow" baseline></material-icon>
diff --git a/lib/service/simulation_service.dart b/lib/service/simulation_service.dart
index 396290b..8e0c14f 100644
--- a/lib/service/simulation_service.dart
+++ b/lib/service/simulation_service.dart
@@ -9,9 +9,10 @@ class SimulationService {
   static final int DEFAULT_GRID_SIZE = 50;
 
   final EngineService _engine;
-  final Simulation _sim = Simulation(DEFAULT_GRID_SIZE, DEFAULT_GRID_SIZE);
+  final Simulation _sim;
 
-  SimulationService(this._engine) {
+  SimulationService(this._engine, [Simulation sim])
+      : this._sim = sim ?? Simulation(DEFAULT_GRID_SIZE, DEFAULT_GRID_SIZE) {
     _engine.simulation = _sim;
     _sim.addRandomPattern(amount: 15, dispersal: 5);
   }
@@ -24,10 +25,6 @@ class SimulationService {
     _sim.addRandomPattern();
   }
 
-  void clear() {
-    _sim.reset();
-  }
-
   Point<int> get gridSize => _sim.gridSize;
   void set gridSize(Point<int> size) {
     _sim.gridSize = size;
@@ -40,4 +37,7 @@ class SimulationService {
   void toggleGrid() {
     _sim.renderEdges = !_sim.renderEdges;
   }
+
+  void save() => _sim.saveSnapshot();
+  void load() => _sim.loadSnapshot();
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/Simulation.dart b/lib/src/Simulation.dart
index 54c7efa..0955c9a 100644
--- a/lib/src/Simulation.dart
+++ b/lib/src/Simulation.dart
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ enum CellPattern { SpaceShip, Blinker }
 
 class Simulation {
   Grid<bool> map;
+  Grid<bool> _snapshot;
+
   RuleSet rules = GameOfLife();
 
   bool _dirty = true;
@@ -151,4 +153,11 @@ class Simulation {
     _renderEdges = on;
     _dirty = true;
   }
+
+  void saveSnapshot() => _snapshot = Grid.from(map);
+  Grid<bool> loadSnapshot() {
+    map = Grid.from(_snapshot);
+    _dirty = true;
+    return map;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/test/service/simulation_service_test.dart b/test/service/simulation_service_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3816099
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/service/simulation_service_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import 'package:rules_of_living/service/engine_service.dart';
+import 'package:rules_of_living/service/simulation_service.dart';
+import 'package:rules_of_living/src/Simulation.dart';
+import 'package:test/test.dart';
+import 'package:mockito/mockito.dart';
+
+class MockSimulation extends Mock implements Simulation {}
+
+class MockEngineService extends Mock implements EngineService {}
+
+void main() {
+  SimulationService sut;
+  MockSimulation mockSim = MockSimulation();
+  setUp(() => sut = SimulationService(MockEngineService(), mockSim));
+  test("calling save calls through to Simulation.saveSnapshot", () {
+    sut.save();
+    verify(mockSim.saveSnapshot());
+  });
+  test("calling load calls through to Simulation.loadSnapshot", () {
+    sut.load();
+    verify(mockSim.loadSnapshot());
+  });
+}
diff --git a/test/simulation_test.dart b/test/simulation_test.dart
index b8f5db6..7b8bf82 100644
--- a/test/simulation_test.dart
+++ b/test/simulation_test.dart
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import 'package:test/test.dart';
 
 import 'package:rules_of_living/src/Simulation.dart';
 
+class MockGrid extends Mock implements Grid<bool> {}
+
 void main() {
   Simulation sut;
   setUp(() {
@@ -34,4 +36,15 @@ void main() {
       expect(sut.dirty, true);
     }, skip: "can not find a way to set dirty to true first yet");
   });
+  group("save&load", () {
+    test(
+        "saves a copy of the map which does not change when the actual map changes",
+        () {
+      sut.saveSnapshot();
+      sut.mergeStateChanges({1: true, 2: true});
+      var snapshot = Grid.from(sut.map);
+
+      expect(sut.loadSnapshot(), isNot(equals(snapshot)));
+    });
+  });
 }