diff --git a/tkintermapview/canvas_button.py b/tkintermapview/canvas_button.py
index 4212d30..2c5c103 100644
--- a/tkintermapview/canvas_button.py
+++ b/tkintermapview/canvas_button.py
@@ -74,3 +74,11 @@ def draw(self):
         self.map_widget.canvas.tag_bind(self.canvas_text, "<Enter>", self.hover_on)
         self.map_widget.canvas.tag_bind(self.canvas_rect, "<Leave>", self.hover_off)
         self.map_widget.canvas.tag_bind(self.canvas_text, "<Leave>", self.hover_off)
+
+    def set_visibility(self, visible: bool):
+        if visible:
+            self.map_widget.canvas.itemconfigure(self.canvas_rect, state="normal")
+            self.map_widget.canvas.itemconfigure(self.canvas_text, state="normal")
+        else:
+            self.map_widget.canvas.itemconfigure(self.canvas_rect, state="hidden")
+            self.map_widget.canvas.itemconfigure(self.canvas_text, state="hidden")
diff --git a/tkintermapview/map_widget.py b/tkintermapview/map_widget.py
index e98616f..201c3cd 100644
--- a/tkintermapview/map_widget.py
+++ b/tkintermapview/map_widget.py
@@ -927,3 +927,7 @@ def button_zoom_in(self):
     def button_zoom_out(self):
         # zoom out of middle of map
         self.set_zoom(self.zoom - 1, relative_pointer_x=0.5, relative_pointer_y=0.5)
+
+    def show_zoom_buttons(self, show: bool = True):
+        self.button_zoom_in.set_visibility(show)
+        self.button_zoom_out.set_visibility(show)
\ No newline at end of file