diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index fefdf90e7aeb..cb84cd5c02a0 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -6,12 +6,14 @@ env:
     - secure: E7OCdqhZ+PlwJcn+Hd6ns9TDJgEUXiUNEI0wu7xjxB2vBRRIKtZMbuaZjd+iKDqCKuVOJKu0ClBUYxmgmpLicTwi34CfTUYt6D4uhrU+8hBBOn1iiK51cl/aBvlUUrqaRLVhukNEBGZcyqAjXSA/Qsnp2iELEmAfOUa92ZYo1sk=
     - BUILD_DOCS=false
     - TEST_ARGS=--no-pep8
+    - NUMPY_VERSION=1.9
 
 language: python
 
 matrix:
   include:
     - python: 2.6
+      env: NUMPY_VERSION=1.6
     - python: 2.7
     - python: 3.3
     - python: 3.4
@@ -20,12 +22,35 @@ matrix:
     - python: 2.7
       env: BUILD_DOCS=true
 
+before_install:
+  # Download and install conda
+  - wget http://repo.continuum.io/miniconda/Miniconda-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh -O miniconda.sh
+  - chmod +x miniconda.sh
+  - ./miniconda.sh -b
+  - export PATH=/home/travis/miniconda/bin:$PATH
+  - conda update --yes conda
+
+
 install:
-  - pip install -q --use-mirrors nose python-dateutil numpy pep8 pyparsing pillow
-  - sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get -qq install inkscape libav-tools
-  # We use --no-install-recommends to avoid pulling in additional large latex docs that we don't need 
-  - if [[ $BUILD_DOCS == true ]]; then sudo apt-get install -qq --no-install-recommends dvipng texlive-latex-base texlive-latex-extra texlive-fonts-recommended graphviz; fi
-  - if [[ $BUILD_DOCS == true ]]; then pip install sphinx numpydoc linkchecker; fi
+  # Set up Conda environment
+  - conda create --yes -n test python=$TRAVIS_PYTHON_VERSION
+  - source activate test
+
+  # Install core Python dependencies using conda
+  - conda install --yes nose dateutil numpy=$NUMPY_VERSION pep8 pyparsing pillow
+
+  # Install some non-Python dependencies through apt-get
+  - sudo apt-get update
+  - sudo apt-get -qq install inkscape libav-tools
+  # We use --no-install-recommends to avoid pulling in additional large latex docs that we don't need
+  - |
+    if [[ $BUILD_DOCS == true ]]; then
+        sudo apt-get install -qq --no-install-recommends dvipng texlive-latex-base texlive-latex-extra texlive-fonts-recommended graphviz;
+        conda install --yes sphinx numpydoc;
+        pip install linkchecker;
+    fi
+
+  # Now, install matplotlib
   - python setup.py install
 
 script:
@@ -36,16 +61,25 @@ script:
   # Generate the font caches in a single process before starting the
   # multiple processes
   - python -c "from matplotlib import font_manager"
-  - if [[ $BUILD_DOCS == false ]]; then mkdir ../tmp_test_dir; fi
-  - if [[ $BUILD_DOCS == false ]]; then cd ../tmp_test_dir; fi
-  - if [[ $BUILD_DOCS == false ]]; then python ../matplotlib/tests.py -sv --processes=8 --process-timeout=300 $TEST_ARGS; fi
-  - if [[ $BUILD_DOCS == true ]]; then cd doc; python make.py html --small; fi
-  # We don't build the LaTeX docs here, so linkchecker will complain
-  - if [[ $BUILD_DOCS == true ]]; then touch build/html/Matplotlib.pdf; fi
-  - if [[ $BUILD_DOCS == true ]]; then linkchecker build/html/index.html; fi
+  - |
+    if [[ $BUILD_DOCS == false ]]; then
+       mkdir ../tmp_test_dir;
+       cd ../tmp_test_dir;
+       python ../matplotlib/tests.py -sv --processes=8 --process-timeout=300 $TEST_ARGS;
+    else
+        cd doc; python make.py html --small;
+        # We don't build the LaTeX docs here, so linkchecker will complain
+        touch build/html/Matplotlib.pdf;
+        linkchecker build/html/index.html;
+    fi
 
 after_failure:
-  - tar cjf result_images.tar.bz2 result_images
-  - if [[ $TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST == false ]]; then gem install travis-artifacts; fi
-  - if [[ $TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST == false ]]; then travis-artifacts upload --path result_images.tar.bz2; fi
-  - if [[ $TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST != false ]]; then echo "The result images will only be uploaded if they are on the matplotlib/matplotlib repo - this is for security reasons to prevent arbitrary PRs echoing security details." else echo https://s3.amazonaws.com/matplotlib-test-results/artifacts/${TRAVIS_BUILD_NUMBER}/${TRAVIS_JOB_NUMBER}/result_images.tar.bz2; fi
+  - |
+    if [[ $TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST == false ]]; then
+       tar cjf result_images.tar.bz2 result_images;
+       gem install travis-artifacts; fi
+       travis-artifacts upload --path result_images.tar.bz2;
+       echo https://s3.amazonaws.com/matplotlib-test-results/artifacts/${TRAVIS_BUILD_NUMBER}/${TRAVIS_JOB_NUMBER}/result_images.tar.bz2;
+    else
+        echo "The result images will only be uploaded if they are on the matplotlib/matplotlib repo - this is for security reasons to prevent arbitrary PRs echoing security details."
+    fi