The Natural History Museum of London is home to 7 million important and valuable fossils. The museum showcases one fossil, in particular, that is considered to be the most valuable in its immense collection—Archaeopteryx lithographica, the oldest avian fossil ever found (Natural History Museum, London 2021). Discovered in 1861, Archaeopteryx roamed the prehistoric tropical forests of what is now Germany some 140 million years ago during the Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era. From what we know about the skeletal remains of this creature and its other phylogenetic relatives, Archaeopteryx lithographica is considered to be the “link” between prehistoric dinosaurs and modern birds.

Explore a new perspective on birds through breathtaking photography and powerful words.