diff --git a/kafka/admin/client.py b/kafka/admin/client.py
index cc126c6d6..7b1fbb2cb 100644
--- a/kafka/admin/client.py
+++ b/kafka/admin/client.py
@@ -470,14 +470,48 @@ def delete_topics(self, topics, timeout_ms=None):
                 .format(version))
         return response
 
-    # list topics functionality is in ClusterMetadata
-    # Note: if implemented here, send the request to the least_loaded_node()
 
-    # describe topics functionality is in ClusterMetadata
-    # Note: if implemented here, send the request to the controller
+    def _get_cluster_metadata(self, topics=None, auto_topic_creation=False):
+        """
+        topics == None means "get all topics"
+        """
+        version = self._matching_api_version(MetadataRequest)
+        if version <= 3:
+            if auto_topic_creation:
+                raise IncompatibleBrokerVersion(
+                    "auto_topic_creation requires MetadataRequest >= v4, which"
+                    " is not supported by Kafka {}"
+                    .format(self.config['api_version']))
 
-    # describe cluster functionality is in ClusterMetadata
-    # Note: if implemented here, send the request to the least_loaded_node()
+            request = MetadataRequest[version](topics=topics)
+        elif version <= 5:
+            request = MetadataRequest[version](
+                topics=topics,
+                allow_auto_topic_creation=auto_topic_creation
+            )
+
+        future = self._send_request_to_node(
+            self._client.least_loaded_node(),
+            request
+        )
+        self._wait_for_futures([future])
+        return future.value
+
+    def list_topics(self):
+        metadata = self._get_cluster_metadata(topics=None)
+        obj = metadata.to_object()
+        return [t['topic'] for t in obj['topics']]
+
+    def describe_topics(self, topics=None):
+        metadata = self._get_cluster_metadata(topics=topics)
+        obj = metadata.to_object()
+        return obj['topics']
+
+    def describe_cluster(self):
+        metadata = self._get_cluster_metadata()
+        obj = metadata.to_object()
+        obj.pop('topics')  # We have 'describe_topics' for this
+        return obj
 
     @staticmethod
     def _convert_describe_acls_response_to_acls(describe_response):
diff --git a/kafka/protocol/api.py b/kafka/protocol/api.py
index efaf63ea2..55bb58fdd 100644
--- a/kafka/protocol/api.py
+++ b/kafka/protocol/api.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import abc
 
 from kafka.protocol.struct import Struct
-from kafka.protocol.types import Int16, Int32, String, Schema
+from kafka.protocol.types import Int16, Int32, String, Schema, Array
 
 
 class RequestHeader(Struct):
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ def expect_response(self):
         """Override this method if an api request does not always generate a response"""
         return True
 
+    def to_object(self):
+        return _to_object(self.SCHEMA, self.fields)
+
 
 class Response(Struct):
     __metaclass__ = abc.ABCMeta
@@ -65,3 +68,30 @@ def API_VERSION(self):
     def SCHEMA(self):
         """An instance of Schema() representing the response structure"""
         pass
+
+    def to_object(self):
+        return _to_object(self.SCHEMA, self.fields)
+
+
+def _to_object(schema, data):
+    obj = {}
+    for idx, (name, _type) in enumerate(zip(schema.names, schema.fields)):
+        if isinstance(data, dict):
+            val = data[name]
+        else:
+            val = data[idx]
+
+        if isinstance(_type, Schema):
+            obj[name] = _to_object(_type, val)
+        elif isinstance(_type, Array):
+            if isinstance(_type.array_of, (Array, Schema)):
+                obj[name] = [
+                    _to_object(_type.array_of, x)
+                    for x in val
+                ]
+            else:
+                obj[name] = val
+        else:
+            obj[name] = val
+
+    return obj
diff --git a/kafka/protocol/struct.py b/kafka/protocol/struct.py
index 676de1ba4..608ffc40a 100644
--- a/kafka/protocol/struct.py
+++ b/kafka/protocol/struct.py
@@ -12,14 +12,17 @@ class Struct(AbstractType):
     SCHEMA = Schema()
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        self.fields = {}
         if len(args) == len(self.SCHEMA.fields):
             for i, name in enumerate(self.SCHEMA.names):
                 self.__dict__[name] = args[i]
+                self.fields[name] = args[i]
         elif len(args) > 0:
             raise ValueError('Args must be empty or mirror schema')
         else:
             for name in self.SCHEMA.names:
                 self.__dict__[name] = kwargs.pop(name, None)
+                self.fields[name] = self.__dict__[name]
             if kwargs:
                 raise ValueError('Keyword(s) not in schema %s: %s'
                                  % (list(self.SCHEMA.names),
diff --git a/test/test_object_conversion.py b/test/test_object_conversion.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a1af43756
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_object_conversion.py
@@ -0,0 +1,223 @@
+from kafka.protocol.admin import Request
+from kafka.protocol.admin import Response
+from kafka.protocol.types import Schema
+from kafka.protocol.types import Array
+from kafka.protocol.types import Int16
+from kafka.protocol.types import String
+
+import pytest
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('superclass', (Request, Response))
+class TestObjectConversion:
+    def test_with_empty_schema(self, superclass):
+        class TestClass(superclass):
+            API_KEY = 0
+            API_VERSION = 0
+            RESPONSE_TYPE = None  # To satisfy the Request ABC
+            SCHEMA = Schema()
+
+        tc = TestClass()
+        tc.encode()
+        assert tc.to_object() == {}
+
+    def test_with_basic_schema(self, superclass):
+        class TestClass(superclass):
+            API_KEY = 0
+            API_VERSION = 0
+            RESPONSE_TYPE = None  # To satisfy the Request ABC
+            SCHEMA = Schema(
+                ('myobject', Int16))
+
+        tc = TestClass(myobject=0)
+        tc.encode()
+        assert tc.to_object() == {'myobject': 0}
+
+    def test_with_basic_array_schema(self, superclass):
+        class TestClass(superclass):
+            API_KEY = 0
+            API_VERSION = 0
+            RESPONSE_TYPE = None  # To satisfy the Request ABC
+            SCHEMA = Schema(
+                ('myarray', Array(Int16)))
+
+        tc = TestClass(myarray=[1,2,3])
+        tc.encode()
+        assert tc.to_object()['myarray'] == [1, 2, 3]
+
+    def test_with_complex_array_schema(self, superclass):
+        class TestClass(superclass):
+            API_KEY = 0
+            API_VERSION = 0
+            RESPONSE_TYPE = None  # To satisfy the Request ABC
+            SCHEMA = Schema(
+                ('myarray', Array(
+                    ('subobject', Int16),
+                    ('othersubobject', String('utf-8')))))
+
+        tc = TestClass(
+            myarray=[[10, 'hello']]
+        )
+        tc.encode()
+        obj = tc.to_object()
+        assert len(obj['myarray']) == 1
+        assert obj['myarray'][0]['subobject'] == 10
+        assert obj['myarray'][0]['othersubobject'] == 'hello'
+
+    def test_with_array_and_other(self, superclass):
+        class TestClass(superclass):
+            API_KEY = 0
+            API_VERSION = 0
+            RESPONSE_TYPE = None  # To satisfy the Request ABC
+            SCHEMA = Schema(
+                ('myarray', Array(
+                    ('subobject', Int16),
+                    ('othersubobject', String('utf-8')))),
+                ('notarray', Int16))
+        
+        tc = TestClass(
+            myarray=[[10, 'hello']],
+            notarray=42
+        )
+
+        obj = tc.to_object()
+        assert len(obj['myarray']) == 1
+        assert obj['myarray'][0]['subobject'] == 10
+        assert obj['myarray'][0]['othersubobject'] == 'hello'
+        assert obj['notarray'] == 42
+
+    def test_with_nested_array(self, superclass):
+        class TestClass(superclass):
+            API_KEY = 0
+            API_VERSION = 0
+            RESPONSE_TYPE = None  # To satisfy the Request ABC
+            SCHEMA = Schema(
+                ('myarray', Array(
+                    ('subarray', Array(Int16)),
+                    ('otherobject', Int16))))
+
+        tc = TestClass(
+            myarray=[
+                [[1, 2], 2],
+                [[2, 3], 4],
+            ]
+        )
+        print(tc.encode())
+
+
+        obj = tc.to_object()
+        assert len(obj['myarray']) == 2
+        assert obj['myarray'][0]['subarray'] == [1, 2]
+        assert obj['myarray'][0]['otherobject'] == 2
+        assert obj['myarray'][1]['subarray'] == [2, 3]
+        assert obj['myarray'][1]['otherobject'] == 4
+
+    def test_with_complex_nested_array(self, superclass):
+        class TestClass(superclass):
+            API_KEY = 0
+            API_VERSION = 0
+            RESPONSE_TYPE = None  # To satisfy the Request ABC
+            SCHEMA = Schema(
+                ('myarray', Array(
+                    ('subarray', Array(
+                        ('innertest', String('utf-8')),
+                        ('otherinnertest', String('utf-8')))),
+                    ('othersubarray', Array(Int16)))),
+                ('notarray', String('utf-8')))
+
+        tc = TestClass(
+            myarray=[
+                [[['hello', 'hello'], ['hello again', 'hello again']], [0]],
+                [[['hello', 'hello again']], [1]],
+            ],
+            notarray='notarray'
+        )
+        tc.encode()
+
+        obj = tc.to_object()
+
+        assert obj['notarray'] == 'notarray'
+        myarray = obj['myarray']
+        assert len(myarray) == 2
+
+        assert myarray[0]['othersubarray'] == [0]
+        assert len(myarray[0]['subarray']) == 2
+        assert myarray[0]['subarray'][0]['innertest'] == 'hello'
+        assert myarray[0]['subarray'][0]['otherinnertest'] == 'hello'
+        assert myarray[0]['subarray'][1]['innertest'] == 'hello again'
+        assert myarray[0]['subarray'][1]['otherinnertest'] == 'hello again'
+
+        assert myarray[1]['othersubarray'] == [1]
+        assert len(myarray[1]['subarray']) == 1
+        assert myarray[1]['subarray'][0]['innertest'] == 'hello'
+        assert myarray[1]['subarray'][0]['otherinnertest'] == 'hello again'
+
+def test_with_metadata_response():
+    from kafka.protocol.metadata import MetadataResponse_v5
+    tc = MetadataResponse_v5(
+        throttle_time_ms=0,
+        brokers=[
+            [0, 'testhost0', 9092, 'testrack0'],
+            [1, 'testhost1', 9092, 'testrack1'],
+        ],
+        cluster_id='abcd',
+        controller_id=0,
+        topics=[
+             [0, 'testtopic1', False, [
+                [0, 0, 0, [0, 1], [0, 1], []],
+                [0, 1, 1, [1, 0], [1, 0], []],
+            ],
+        ], [0, 'other-test-topic', True, [
+                [0, 0, 0, [0, 1], [0, 1], []],
+            ]
+        ]]
+    )
+    tc.encode()  # Make sure this object encodes successfully
+    
+
+    obj = tc.to_object()
+
+    assert obj['throttle_time_ms'] == 0
+
+    assert len(obj['brokers']) == 2
+    assert obj['brokers'][0]['node_id'] == 0
+    assert obj['brokers'][0]['host'] == 'testhost0'
+    assert obj['brokers'][0]['port'] == 9092
+    assert obj['brokers'][0]['rack'] == 'testrack0'
+    assert obj['brokers'][1]['node_id'] == 1
+    assert obj['brokers'][1]['host'] == 'testhost1'
+    assert obj['brokers'][1]['port'] == 9092
+    assert obj['brokers'][1]['rack'] == 'testrack1'
+
+    assert obj['cluster_id'] == 'abcd'
+    assert obj['controller_id'] == 0
+
+    assert len(obj['topics']) == 2
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['error_code'] == 0
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['topic'] == 'testtopic1'
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['is_internal'] == False
+    assert len(obj['topics'][0]['partitions']) == 2
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][0]['error_code'] == 0
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][0]['partition'] == 0
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][0]['leader'] == 0
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][0]['replicas'] == [0, 1]
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][0]['isr'] == [0, 1]
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][0]['offline_replicas'] == []
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][1]['error_code'] == 0
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][1]['partition'] == 1
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][1]['leader'] == 1
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][1]['replicas'] == [1, 0]
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][1]['isr'] == [1, 0]
+    assert obj['topics'][0]['partitions'][1]['offline_replicas'] == []
+
+    assert obj['topics'][1]['error_code'] == 0
+    assert obj['topics'][1]['topic'] == 'other-test-topic'
+    assert obj['topics'][1]['is_internal'] == True
+    assert len(obj['topics'][1]['partitions']) == 1
+    assert obj['topics'][1]['partitions'][0]['error_code'] == 0
+    assert obj['topics'][1]['partitions'][0]['partition'] == 0
+    assert obj['topics'][1]['partitions'][0]['leader'] == 0
+    assert obj['topics'][1]['partitions'][0]['replicas'] == [0, 1]
+    assert obj['topics'][1]['partitions'][0]['isr'] == [0, 1]
+    assert obj['topics'][1]['partitions'][0]['offline_replicas'] == []
+
+    tc.encode()