diff --git a/python/python/lance/dataset.py b/python/python/lance/dataset.py
index 6ae17bb1c00..b4b9c8623d6 100644
--- a/python/python/lance/dataset.py
+++ b/python/python/lance/dataset.py
@@ -3098,6 +3098,11 @@ def update(
     def versions(self) -> List[Version]:
         """
         Return all versions in this dataset.
+
+        Each entry is a :class:`Version` with ``version``, ``timestamp``,
+        ``metadata``, and ``manifest_size``. ``manifest_size`` is the size in
+        bytes of that version's manifest file, or ``None`` if the commit
+        handler could not report it.
         """
         versions = self._ds.versions()
         for v in versions:
@@ -5923,6 +5928,11 @@ class Version(TypedDict):
     version: int
     timestamp: int | datetime
     metadata: Dict[str, str]
+    #: Size of this version's manifest file, in bytes, or ``None`` when the
+    #: commit handler could not report the size. The manifest grows with the
+    #: number of columns and fragments, so this is useful for observing
+    #: metadata amplification in wide tables.
+    manifest_size: int | None
 
 
 class VersionRef(TypedDict):
diff --git a/python/python/tests/test_dataset.py b/python/python/tests/test_dataset.py
index 7891f7e4215..4bf903a8735 100644
--- a/python/python/tests/test_dataset.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_dataset.py
@@ -449,6 +449,36 @@ def test_schema_metadata(tmp_path: Path):
     assert ds.schema.field("b").metadata == {b"thisis": b"b"}
 
 
+def _manifest_file_size(base_dir: Path, version: int) -> int:
+    """Return the on-disk size of the manifest file for ``version``.
+
+    Manifest files may use V1 (``_versions/{version}.manifest``) or V2
+    (``_versions/{u64::MAX - version:020}.manifest``) naming, so resolve by
+    parsing the version back out of the file name rather than guessing.
+    """
+    candidates = []
+    for path in (base_dir / "_versions").glob("*.manifest"):
+        try:
+            number = int(path.stem)
+        except ValueError:
+            # Detached versions are named ``d{version}.manifest``; they are not
+            # part of the attached version history, so skip them.
+            continue
+        # V2 stores the bitwise-inverted version so that the newest version
+        # sorts first lexicographically.
+        candidates.append(
+            (number if number < (1 << 63) else (1 << 64) - 1 - number, path)
+        )
+
+    matches = [
+        path for candidate_version, path in candidates if candidate_version == version
+    ]
+    assert len(matches) == 1, (
+        f"expected exactly one manifest file for version {version}"
+    )
+    return matches[0].stat().st_size
+
+
 def test_versions(tmp_path: Path):
     table1 = pa.Table.from_pylist([{"a": 1, "b": 2}, {"a": 10, "b": 20}])
     base_dir = tmp_path / "test"
@@ -477,6 +507,16 @@ def test_versions(tmp_path: Path):
     assert isinstance(v1["metadata"], dict)
     assert isinstance(v2["metadata"], dict)
 
+    # manifest_size must be pinned to the on-disk manifest file for each version.
+    for version in (v1, v2):
+        manifest_size = version["manifest_size"]
+        assert manifest_size is not None
+        assert manifest_size > 0
+        # The key is always present, but the value is optional by contract.
+        assert version.get("manifest_size") == _manifest_file_size(
+            base_dir, version["version"]
+        )
+
 
 def test_version_id(tmp_path: Path):
     table1 = pa.Table.from_pylist([{"a": 1, "b": 2}, {"a": 10, "b": 20}])
diff --git a/python/src/dataset.rs b/python/src/dataset.rs
index 547ba91d16b..30f4657a7f4 100644
--- a/python/src/dataset.rs
+++ b/python/src/dataset.rs
@@ -2080,6 +2080,7 @@ impl Dataset {
                 .unwrap();
                 let tup: Vec<(&String, &String)> = v.metadata.iter().collect();
                 dict.set_item("metadata", tup.into_py_dict(py)?).unwrap();
+                dict.set_item("manifest_size", v.manifest_size).unwrap();
                 dict.into_py_any(py)
             })
             .collect::<PyResult<Vec<_>>>()?;
diff --git a/rust/lance/src/dataset.rs b/rust/lance/src/dataset.rs
index ef025388d9d..ed431aab2fd 100644
--- a/rust/lance/src/dataset.rs
+++ b/rust/lance/src/dataset.rs
@@ -278,6 +278,14 @@ pub struct Version {
 
     /// Key-value pairs of metadata.
     pub metadata: BTreeMap<String, String>,
+
+    /// Size of the manifest file for this version, in bytes, if known.
+    ///
+    /// On wide tables (many columns and/or fragments) the manifest is rewritten
+    /// in full on every commit; exposing its size per version makes metadata
+    /// growth observable via `list_versions`.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub manifest_size: Option<u64>,
 }
 
 /// A lightweight reference to an attached dataset version, which could be used to uniquely identify a version.
@@ -295,6 +303,7 @@ impl From<&Manifest> for Version {
             version: m.version,
             timestamp: m.timestamp(),
             metadata: m.summary().into(),
+            manifest_size: None,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -2611,8 +2620,13 @@ impl Dataset {
             .commit_handler
             .list_manifest_locations(&self.base, &self.object_store, false)
             .try_filter_map(|location| async move {
-                match read_manifest(&self.object_store, &location.path, location.size).await {
-                    Ok(manifest) => Ok(Some(Version::from(&manifest))),
+                let manifest_size = location.size;
+                match read_manifest(&self.object_store, &location.path, manifest_size).await {
+                    Ok(manifest) => {
+                        let mut version = Version::from(&manifest);
+                        version.manifest_size = manifest_size;
+                        Ok(Some(version))
+                    }
                     Err(e) => Err(e),
                 }
             })