diff --git a/integrations/api_org_test.go b/integrations/api_org_test.go
index 34579aa1e..551da3032 100644
--- a/integrations/api_org_test.go
+++ b/integrations/api_org_test.go
@@ -136,3 +136,17 @@ func TestAPIOrgDeny(t *testing.T) {
 		MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusNotFound)
 	})
 }
+
+func TestAPIGetAll(t *testing.T) {
+	defer prepareTestEnv(t)()
+
+	req := NewRequestf(t, "GET", "/api/v1/orgs")
+	resp := MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
+
+	var apiOrgList []*api.Organization
+	DecodeJSON(t, resp, &apiOrgList)
+
+	assert.Len(t, apiOrgList, 7)
+	assert.Equal(t, "org25", apiOrgList[0].FullName)
+	assert.Equal(t, "public", apiOrgList[0].Visibility)
+}
diff --git a/models/user.go b/models/user.go
index 9ddd262ae..dc8ae7e0f 100644
--- a/models/user.go
+++ b/models/user.go
@@ -1469,7 +1469,7 @@ type SearchUserOptions struct {
 	UID           int64
 	OrderBy       SearchOrderBy
 	Page          int
-	Private       bool  // Include private orgs in search
+	Visible       []structs.VisibleType
 	OwnerID       int64 // id of user for visibility calculation
 	PageSize      int   // Can be smaller than or equal to setting.UI.ExplorePagingNum
 	IsActive      util.OptionalBool
@@ -1492,8 +1492,9 @@ func (opts *SearchUserOptions) toConds() builder.Cond {
 		cond = cond.And(keywordCond)
 	}
 
-	if !opts.Private {
-		// user not logged in and so they won't be allowed to see non-public orgs
+	if len(opts.Visible) > 0 {
+		cond = cond.And(builder.In("visibility", opts.Visible))
+	} else {
 		cond = cond.And(builder.In("visibility", structs.VisibleTypePublic))
 	}
 
diff --git a/routers/admin/orgs.go b/routers/admin/orgs.go
index e0be99872..02068d618 100644
--- a/routers/admin/orgs.go
+++ b/routers/admin/orgs.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/base"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/context"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/routers"
 )
 
@@ -25,6 +26,6 @@ func Organizations(ctx *context.Context) {
 	routers.RenderUserSearch(ctx, &models.SearchUserOptions{
 		Type:     models.UserTypeOrganization,
 		PageSize: setting.UI.Admin.OrgPagingNum,
-		Private:  true,
+		Visible:  []structs.VisibleType{structs.VisibleTypePublic, structs.VisibleTypeLimited, structs.VisibleTypePrivate},
 	}, tplOrgs)
 }
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/admin/org.go b/routers/api/v1/admin/org.go
index 1db4e592f..ca2ef574f 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/admin/org.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/admin/org.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func GetAllOrgs(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 		OrderBy:  models.SearchOrderByAlphabetically,
 		Page:     ctx.QueryInt("page"),
 		PageSize: convert.ToCorrectPageSize(ctx.QueryInt("limit")),
-		Private:  true,
+		Visible:  []api.VisibleType{api.VisibleTypePublic, api.VisibleTypeLimited, api.VisibleTypePrivate},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.Error(http.StatusInternalServerError, "SearchOrganizations", err)
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/api.go b/routers/api/v1/api.go
index fd7f7c05c..86c745017 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/api.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/api.go
@@ -821,6 +821,7 @@ func RegisterRoutes(m *macaron.Macaron) {
 		m.Get("/user/orgs", reqToken(), org.ListMyOrgs)
 		m.Get("/users/:username/orgs", org.ListUserOrgs)
 		m.Post("/orgs", reqToken(), bind(api.CreateOrgOption{}), org.Create)
+		m.Get("/orgs", org.GetAll)
 		m.Group("/orgs/:orgname", func() {
 			m.Combo("").Get(org.Get).
 				Patch(reqToken(), reqOrgOwnership(), bind(api.EditOrgOption{}), org.Edit).
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/org/org.go b/routers/api/v1/org/org.go
index 67770e70a..4bcd60a67 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/org/org.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/org/org.go
@@ -66,6 +66,53 @@ func ListUserOrgs(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	listUserOrgs(ctx, u, ctx.User.IsAdmin)
 }
 
+// GetAll return list of all public organizations
+func GetAll(ctx *context.APIContext) {
+	// swagger:operation Get /orgs organization orgGetAll
+	// ---
+	// summary: Get list of organizations
+	// produces:
+	// - application/json
+	// parameters:
+	// - name: page
+	//   in: query
+	//   description: page number of results to return (1-based)
+	//   type: integer
+	// - name: limit
+	//   in: query
+	//   description: page size of results, maximum page size is 50
+	//   type: integer
+	// responses:
+	//   "200":
+	//     "$ref": "#/responses/OrganizationList"
+
+	vMode := []api.VisibleType{api.VisibleTypePublic}
+	if ctx.IsSigned {
+		vMode = append(vMode, api.VisibleTypeLimited)
+		if ctx.User.IsAdmin {
+			vMode = append(vMode, api.VisibleTypePrivate)
+		}
+	}
+
+	publicOrgs, _, err := models.SearchUsers(&models.SearchUserOptions{
+		Type:     models.UserTypeOrganization,
+		OrderBy:  models.SearchOrderByAlphabetically,
+		Page:     ctx.QueryInt("page"),
+		PageSize: convert.ToCorrectPageSize(ctx.QueryInt("limit")),
+		Visible:  vMode,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		ctx.Error(http.StatusInternalServerError, "SearchOrganizations", err)
+		return
+	}
+	orgs := make([]*api.Organization, len(publicOrgs))
+	for i := range publicOrgs {
+		orgs[i] = convert.ToOrganization(publicOrgs[i])
+	}
+
+	ctx.JSON(http.StatusOK, &orgs)
+}
+
 // Create api for create organization
 func Create(ctx *context.APIContext, form api.CreateOrgOption) {
 	// swagger:operation POST /orgs organization orgCreate
diff --git a/routers/home.go b/routers/home.go
index 773e0f3d6..0f59c9570 100644
--- a/routers/home.go
+++ b/routers/home.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	code_indexer "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/indexer/code"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/log"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/util"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/routers/user"
 )
@@ -249,7 +250,7 @@ func ExploreUsers(ctx *context.Context) {
 		Type:     models.UserTypeIndividual,
 		PageSize: setting.UI.ExplorePagingNum,
 		IsActive: util.OptionalBoolTrue,
-		Private:  true,
+		Visible:  []structs.VisibleType{structs.VisibleTypePublic, structs.VisibleTypeLimited, structs.VisibleTypePrivate},
 	}, tplExploreUsers)
 }
 
@@ -265,12 +266,17 @@ func ExploreOrganizations(ctx *context.Context) {
 		ownerID = ctx.User.ID
 	}
 
-	RenderUserSearch(ctx, &models.SearchUserOptions{
+	opts := models.SearchUserOptions{
 		Type:     models.UserTypeOrganization,
 		PageSize: setting.UI.ExplorePagingNum,
-		Private:  ctx.User != nil,
 		OwnerID:  ownerID,
-	}, tplExploreOrganizations)
+	}
+	if ctx.User != nil {
+		opts.Visible = []structs.VisibleType{structs.VisibleTypePublic, structs.VisibleTypeLimited, structs.VisibleTypePrivate}
+	} else {
+		opts.Visible = []structs.VisibleType{structs.VisibleTypePublic}
+	}
+	RenderUserSearch(ctx, &opts, tplExploreOrganizations)
 }
 
 // ExploreCode render explore code page
diff --git a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
index ddf144066..de774de9f 100644
--- a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
+++ b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
@@ -606,6 +606,35 @@
       }
     },
     "/orgs": {
+      "get": {
+        "produces": [
+          "application/json"
+        ],
+        "tags": [
+          "organization"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Get list of organizations",
+        "operationId": "orgGetAll",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "type": "integer",
+            "description": "page number of results to return (1-based)",
+            "name": "page",
+            "in": "query"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "integer",
+            "description": "page size of results, maximum page size is 50",
+            "name": "limit",
+            "in": "query"
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "$ref": "#/responses/OrganizationList"
+          }
+        }
+      },
       "post": {
         "consumes": [
           "application/json"