This presentation will focus on the preparation, characterization, and applications of porous layered transition metal oxides. Most systems to be discussed will deal with manganese oxides, although iron oxides, layered double hydroxides, cobalt oxides, and others will be mentioned. Characterization of these materials has been done with a wide variety of methods to determine structural, compositional, electronic, thermal, and other properties. Specific applications include use in catalytic reactions such as selective oxidations, battery materials, and as adsorbents. A variety of synthetic methods will be discussed.