diff --git a/openmc/capi/cell.py b/openmc/capi/cell.py
index 3e767caf3e..81bdfdc40e 100644
--- a/openmc/capi/cell.py
+++ b/openmc/capi/cell.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from weakref import WeakValueDictionary
 import numpy as np
 
 from . import _dll
+from .core import _View
 from .error import _error_handler
 
 __all__ = ['CellView', 'cells']
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ _dll.openmc_get_cell_index.restype = c_int
 _dll.openmc_get_cell_index.errcheck = _error_handler
 
 
-class CellView(object):
+class CellView(_View):
     """View of a cell.
 
     This class exposes a cell that is stored internally in the OpenMC solver. To
@@ -48,9 +49,6 @@ class CellView(object):
             cls.__instances[args] = instance
         return cls.__instances[args]
 
-    def __init__(self, index):
-        self._index = index
-
     @property
     def id(self):
         cell_id = c_int32()
@@ -84,4 +82,7 @@ class _CellMapping(Mapping):
     def __len__(self):
         return c_int32.in_dll(_dll, 'n_cells').value
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return repr(dict(self))
+
 cells = _CellMapping()
diff --git a/openmc/capi/core.py b/openmc/capi/core.py
index 4335bcc46e..2234fac640 100644
--- a/openmc/capi/core.py
+++ b/openmc/capi/core.py
@@ -170,3 +170,11 @@ class _DLLGlobal(object):
 
     def __set__(self, instance, value):
         self.ctype.in_dll(_dll, self.name).value = value
+
+
+class _View(object):
+    def __init__(self, index):
+        self._index = index
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "{}[{}]".format(type(self).__name__, self._index)
diff --git a/openmc/capi/filter.py b/openmc/capi/filter.py
index 28d95a37cb..dc59560e0d 100644
--- a/openmc/capi/filter.py
+++ b/openmc/capi/filter.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import numpy as np
 from numpy.ctypeslib import as_array
 
 from . import _dll
+from .core import _View
 from .error import _error_handler
 from .material import MaterialView
 
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ _dll.openmc_mesh_filter_set_mesh.restype = c_int
 _dll.openmc_mesh_filter_set_mesh.errcheck = _error_handler
 
 
-class FilterView(object):
+class FilterView(_View):
     __instances = WeakValueDictionary()
 
     def __new__(cls, *args):
@@ -65,9 +66,6 @@ class FilterView(object):
             cls.__instances[args] = instance
         return cls.__instances[args]
 
-    def __init__(self, index):
-        self._index = index
-
     @property
     def id(self):
         filter_id = c_int32()
@@ -215,4 +213,7 @@ class _FilterMapping(Mapping):
     def __len__(self):
         return c_int32.in_dll(_dll, 'n_filters').value
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return repr(dict(self))
+
 filters = _FilterMapping()
diff --git a/openmc/capi/material.py b/openmc/capi/material.py
index 728caa3561..81c47f5f9f 100644
--- a/openmc/capi/material.py
+++ b/openmc/capi/material.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import numpy as np
 from numpy.ctypeslib import as_array
 
 from . import _dll, NuclideView
+from .core import _View
 from .error import _error_handler
 
 
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ _dll.openmc_material_set_densities.restype = c_int
 _dll.openmc_material_set_densities.errcheck = _error_handler
 
 
-class MaterialView(object):
+class MaterialView(_View):
     """View of a material.
 
     This class exposes a material that is stored internally in the OpenMC
@@ -60,15 +61,6 @@ class MaterialView(object):
     """
     __instances = WeakValueDictionary()
 
-    def __new__(cls, *args):
-        if args not in cls.__instances:
-            instance = super().__new__(cls)
-            cls.__instances[args] = instance
-        return cls.__instances[args]
-
-    def __init__(self, index):
-        self._index = index
-
     @property
     def id(self):
         mat_id = c_int32()
@@ -167,4 +159,7 @@ class _MaterialMapping(Mapping):
     def __len__(self):
         return c_int32.in_dll(_dll, 'n_materials').value
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return repr(dict(self))
+
 materials = _MaterialMapping()
diff --git a/openmc/capi/nuclide.py b/openmc/capi/nuclide.py
index 6e3245e9e4..16bb71accd 100644
--- a/openmc/capi/nuclide.py
+++ b/openmc/capi/nuclide.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import numpy as np
 from numpy.ctypeslib import as_array
 
 from . import _dll
+from .core import _View
 from .error import _error_handler
 
 
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ def load_nuclide(name):
     _dll.openmc_load_nuclide(name.encode())
 
 
-class NuclideView(object):
+class NuclideView(_View):
     """View of a nuclide.
 
     This class exposes a nuclide that is stored internally in the OpenMC
@@ -61,9 +62,6 @@ class NuclideView(object):
             cls.__instances[args] = instance
         return cls.__instances[args]
 
-    def __init__(self, index):
-        self._index = index
-
     @property
     def name(self):
         name = c_char_p()
@@ -90,4 +88,7 @@ class _NuclideMapping(Mapping):
     def __len__(self):
         return c_int.in_dll(_dll, 'n_nuclides').value
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return repr(dict(self))
+
 nuclides = _NuclideMapping()
diff --git a/openmc/capi/tally.py b/openmc/capi/tally.py
index 3d056c2833..db32f98f88 100644
--- a/openmc/capi/tally.py
+++ b/openmc/capi/tally.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from weakref import WeakValueDictionary
 from numpy.ctypeslib import as_array
 
 from . import _dll, NuclideView
+from .core import _View
 from .error import _error_handler
 from .filter import _get_filter
 
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ _dll.openmc_tally_set_type.restype = c_int
 _dll.openmc_tally_set_type.errcheck = _error_handler
 
 
-class TallyView(object):
+class TallyView(_View):
     """View of a tally.
 
     This class exposes a tally that is stored internally in the OpenMC
@@ -82,9 +83,6 @@ class TallyView(object):
             cls.__instances[args] = instance
         return cls.__instances[args]
 
-    def __init__(self, index):
-        self._index = index
-
     @property
     def id(self):
         tally_id = c_int32()
@@ -162,4 +160,7 @@ class _TallyMapping(Mapping):
     def __len__(self):
         return c_int32.in_dll(_dll, 'n_tallies').value
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return repr(dict(self))
+
 tallies = _TallyMapping()