Randomly selected specimen. Reload this page to see another, or click the picture to view the specimen's record.

This database is designed to provide members of the public and outside researchers with open access to the Mazon Creek fossil holdings of the Illinois State Museum. Mazon Creek fossils are named for the collecting area in northeastern Illinois where many of the best specimens are found. They are an important source of information about the plants and animals that inhabited this part of North America around 300 million years ago. Use the menu bar above to begin using the database by searching for particular fossils, or browsing the collections as a whole.