Image: Brian Deegan , CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source)
Fossils are the only direct record of the life that came before us, and paleontology websites have become very good at showing them. Several of the best come from museums and university collections that hold the real specimens.
Whether you want to identify a fossil you found or follow new dinosaur discoveries, start here.
1) The Paleobiology Database
A public database of fossil occurrences built by paleontologists around the world. Researchers use it to map where and when species lived.
Best for: Searching where fossils have been found. Visit The Paleobiology Database
2) Natural History Museum London: Dinosaurs
Dinosaur news, videos, quizzes and facts from one of the world's great natural history museums, including what science reveals about how dinosaurs looked and lived.
Best for: Families and dinosaur fans. Visit Natural History Museum London: Dinosaurs
3) UC Museum of Paleontology
The University of California's museum of paleontology, with long-running online exhibits on the history of life and evolution.
Best for: Learning how life evolved. Visit UC Museum of Paleontology
4) Digital Atlas of Ancient Life
Fossil identification guides, a free paleontology textbook and 3D models of fossils.
Best for: Identifying fossils you have found. Visit Digital Atlas of Ancient Life
5) Paleontological Research Institution
A nonprofit in Ithaca, New York, linked with Cornell University, that runs the Museum of the Earth and publishes educational material on fossils and Earth history.
Best for: Teaching resources about Earth history. Visit Paleontological Research Institution
6) Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
The professional society for scientists who study fossil vertebrates, including dinosaurs, with news and information about the field.
Best for: Following the professional field. Visit Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
7) Royal Tyrrell Museum
Canada's museum of palaeontology in the Alberta badlands, one of the richest dinosaur fossil regions on Earth.
Best for: Planning a visit or exploring Canadian finds. Visit Royal Tyrrell Museum
8) PhyloPic
An open database of free silhouette images of animals, plants and other life forms, reusable under Creative Commons licenses.
Best for: Free images for school projects and slides. Visit PhyloPic
More science resource lists
Every site on this list was checked and loading on 30 October 2026. For more, see Top 10 Biology Websites for Enthusiasts and Experts and The Top 10 Earth Science Websites to Uncover the Secrets of the Earth.