diff --git a/src/kagglehub/models.py b/src/kagglehub/models.py
index 19bca043..a3a0aec4 100644
--- a/src/kagglehub/models.py
+++ b/src/kagglehub/models.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import logging
+from shutil import copytree
 from typing import Optional, Union
 
 from kagglehub import registry
@@ -13,22 +14,44 @@
 DEFAULT_IGNORE_PATTERNS = [".git/", "*/.git/", ".cache/", ".huggingface/"]
 
 
-def model_download(handle: str, path: Optional[str] = None, *, force_download: Optional[bool] = False) -> str:
+def model_download(
+    handle: str,
+    path: Optional[str] = None,
+    *,
+    force_download: Optional[bool] = False,
+    output_dir: Optional[str] = None) -> str:
     """Download model files.
 
     Args:
         handle: (string) the model handle.
         path: (string) Optional path to a file within the model bundle.
         force_download: (bool) Optional flag to force download a model, even if it's cached.
-
+        output_dir: (string) Optional path to copy model files to after successful download.
 
     Returns:
         A string representing the path to the requested model files.
     """
     h = parse_model_handle(handle)
     logger.info(f"Downloading Model: {h.to_url()} ...", extra={**EXTRA_CONSOLE_BLOCK})
-    return registry.model_resolver(h, path, force_download=force_download)
+    cached_dir = registry.model_resolver(h, path, force_download=force_download)
+
+    if output_dir is None or output_dir == cached_dir:
+        return cached_dir
 
+    try:
+        # only copying so that we can maintain the cached files
+        logger.info(
+            f"Copying model files to requested directory: {output_dir} ...",
+            extra={**EXTRA_CONSOLE_BLOCK}
+        )
+        true_output_dir = copytree(cached_dir, output_dir, dirs_exist_ok=True)
+        return true_output_dir
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.warn(
+            f"Successfully downloaded {handle}, but failed to copy from {cached_dir} "
+            f"to requested output directory {output_dir}. Encountered error: {e}"
+        )
+        return cached_dir
 
 def model_upload(
     handle: str,
diff --git a/tests/test_http_model_download.py b/tests/test_http_model_download.py
index 9ba6c392..e2f55d9d 100644
--- a/tests/test_http_model_download.py
+++ b/tests/test_http_model_download.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import os
+from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
 from typing import Optional
+from unittest import mock
 
 import requests
 
@@ -147,6 +149,32 @@ def test_versioned_model_download_with_path_with_force_download(self) -> None:
         with create_test_cache() as d:
             self._download_test_file_and_assert_downloaded(d, VERSIONED_MODEL_HANDLE, force_download=True)
 
+    def test_versioned_model_download_with_output_dir(self) -> None:
+        with create_test_cache() as d:
+            with TemporaryDirectory() as expected_output_dir:
+                self._download_model_and_assert_downloaded(
+                    d,
+                    VERSIONED_MODEL_HANDLE,
+                    expected_output_dir,
+                    output_dir=expected_output_dir
+                )
+
+    def test_versioned_model_download_with_bad_output_dir(self) -> None:
+        with (
+            create_test_cache() as d,
+            TemporaryDirectory() as placeholder_dir,
+            mock.patch("kagglehub.models.copytree") as mock_copytree
+        ):
+            mock_copytree.side_effect = Exception("Mock exception")
+            expected_output_dir = EXPECTED_MODEL_SUBDIR # falls back to default
+            self._download_model_and_assert_downloaded(
+                d,
+                VERSIONED_MODEL_HANDLE,
+                expected_output_dir,
+                # note: placeholder name is irrelevant since copytree is mocked to throw
+                output_dir=placeholder_dir
+            )
+
     def test_unversioned_model_download_with_path_with_force_download(self) -> None:
         with create_test_cache() as d:
             self._download_test_file_and_assert_downloaded(d, UNVERSIONED_MODEL_HANDLE, force_download=True)
@@ -188,7 +216,6 @@ def test_versioned_model_download_with_path_already_cached_with_force_download_e
 
             self.assertEqual(os.path.join(d, EXPECTED_MODEL_SUBPATH), model_path)
 
-
 class TestHttpNoInternet(BaseTestCase):
     def test_versioned_model_download_already_cached_with_force_download(self) -> None:
         with create_test_cache():