A collection of Tree of Life graphics

Evolutionary diagrams form a major graphic element in museums and other informal science settings. The tree of life graphics collected here are from exhibits in natural history museums, science centers, zoos and aquariums that were shared as part of a review of museum trees conducted by Teresa MacDonald, Director of Education at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum as part of the Understanding the Tree of Life (UToL) project.

This tree collection demonstrates the diversity of graphics that visitors might encounter in a museum setting, emphasizing varying artistic presentations of evolutionary trees. The collection includes a wide range of depictions from exhibits of varying ages; as a result, some trees are outdated and are not in line with current thinking of evolutionary relationships or with how those relationships should be portrayed. Our page on Tree Design Tips gives a summary of important dos and don’ts for designing trees that are easy to interpret.

To learn more about our study of evolutionary trees used in informal science exhibits, and the potential implications of how trees are presented that may support or hinder visitors’ understanding of evolution, click here for a paper presented at the NARST 2010 conference and here for a 2012 paper in Evolution: Education and Outreach.

Trees can be explored by general taxonomic category using the links below. Click on any thumbnail image to see a pdf enlargement.

Invertebrates
Broad categories (e.g., all life)
Other taxa (e.g., viruses, plants)
Vertebrates: Humans
Vertebrates: Horses
Vertebrates: Dinosaurs and/other extinct reptile groups
Vertebrates: Fish
Vertebrates: Other

Invertebrates

American Museum of Natural History, marine invertebrates, 2003. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/D. Finnin/R. Mickens.	Bell Museum of Natural History, lepidoptera (butterflies, skippers and moths), 1995. Courtesy of the Bell Museum of Natural History.	Booth Museum of Natural History, arthropods, 1980. © Brighton Royal Pavilion and Museums, Booth Museum of Natural History.	Explore Evolution, Hawaiian fruit flies, 2005. SMM Lonnie Broden illustration, adapted from Scott Freeman and Jon Herron’s (2004) EVOLUTIONARY ANALYSIS, 3rd edition, reprinted by permission of Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. Drosophia picticornis, D. hemipeza, D. differens, D. planitibia photos courtesy Kevin T. Kaneshiro; Drosophila silvestris photo courtesy Kenneth Y. Kaneshiro.
Harvard Museum of Natural History, arthropods, 2006. Courtesy of the Harvard Museum of Natural History.	Harvard Museum of Natural History, arthropods, 2006. Courtesy of the Harvard Museum of Natural History.	Harvard Museum of Natural History, echinoderms (sea urchins, etc.), 2009. Courtesy of the Harvard Museum of Natural History.	North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, arthropods, 2001. Courtesy of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, arthropods, 2001. Courtesy of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.	University of Nebraska State Museum, ammonoids (extinct cephalopods), 1990. Courtesy of the University of Nebraska State Museum.	University of Nebraska State Museum, nautiloids (extinct and living cephalopods), 1990. Courtesy of the University of Nebraska State Museum.	Virginia Museum of Natural History, insects, 2009. Courtesy of the Virginia Museum of Natural History.

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Broad Categories

American Museum of Natural History, all life, 2001. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	American Museum of Natural History, all life, 2001. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	American Museum of Natural History, all life, 2002. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	American Museum of Natural History, all life, 2002. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.
American Museum of Natural History, all life, 2006. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	American Museum of Natural History, all life, 2007. Photo by Cresny, used under this Creative Commons license.	Boston Museum of Science, all life, 2005. Photo courtesy of the Museum of Science, Boston, © 2010. Based on a tree created by Dr. David Hillis, The University of Texas at Austin.	Dusquene University (Carnegie Science Center), all life, 2009. Credits: Art director/lead art—Joana Ricou; executive director—John Pollock; research—Brinley Kantorski, Allison Pogue; additional art—Robert Hoggard.
Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan, chordates, 1970. Courtesy of the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan; photographed by Dan Erickson.	The Field Museum, all life, 2006. © The Field Museum.The Field Museum, all life, 2006. © The Field Museum.	Harvard Museum of Natural History, all animal groups, 2009. Courtesy of the Harvard Museum of Natural History.	Indiana State Museum, all life, 2002. From the collection of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.
Kendal Museum, plants and animals, 1979. © Kendal Museum.	Midwest Museum of Natural History, all life, 2009. © Midwest Museum of Natural History.	Milwaukee Public Museum, all life, 2001. Courtesy of the Milwaukee Public Museum.	Naturalis, all life, 1998. Courtesy of Naturalis.
Dusquene University (Phipps Conservatory), all life, 2009. Credits: Art director/lead art—Joana Ricou; executive director—John Pollock; research—Brinley Kantorski, Allison Pogue; additional art—Robert Hoggard.	Dusquene University (Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquariums), all life, 2009. Credits: Art director/lead art—Joana Ricou; executive director—John Pollock; research—Brinley Kantorski, Allison Pogue; additional art—Robert Hoggard.	Science City, all animal groups, 2002. Courtesy of Science City.	Dusquene University (various museums for DNA Day), all life, 2009. Credits: Art director/lead art—Joana Ricou; executive director—John Pollock; research—Brinley Kantorski, Allison Pogue; additional art—Robert Hoggard.
Dusquene University (various museums for DNA Day), all life, 2009. Credits: Art director/lead art—Joana Ricou; executive director—John Pollock; research—Brinley Kantorski, Allison Pogue; additional art—Robert Hoggard.	Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, all ocean life (focus on eukaryotes), 2008. Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution/National Museum of Natural History/Sant Ocean Hall.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, all animal groups, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, all life, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, all life, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.	Bell Museum of Natural History, all life, 1991. Courtesy of the Bell Museum of Natural History.

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Other Taxa

American Museum of Natural History, fruit, 2002. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	Auckland Museum, plants, 1999. Photo by T. Trnski, Auckland Museum.	Explore Evolution, diatoms, 2005. UNSM Angie Fox and SMM illustration; S. yellowstonensis and transitional diatom photos courtesy of Edward Theroit; S. niagarae photo courtesy of Jeffery Robert Stone; Lodgepole Pine forest photo courtesy of Chris Schnepf, University of Idaho, www.forestryimages.org, modified with permission by UNSM Angie Fox; pollen photos courtesy of Dr. Heidemarie Halbritter.	Explore Evolution, HIV virus, 2005. UNSM Angie Fox and SMM illustration. Humans (4), mandrill courtesy of photos.com; chimpanzee photo courtesy of SMM; African Green Monkey photo courtesy of Don Getty; Sooty Mangabey photo courtesy of Jim Schultz; human photo courtesy of John West.
The Field Museum, plants and algae, 2006. © The Field Museum.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, plants, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, plants, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.

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Vertebrates: Humans

Amherst College Museum of Natural History, hominids (humans and recent extinct relatives) , 2006. Courtesy of the Amherst College Museum of Natural History, The Trustees of Amherst College.	American Museum of Natural History, primates, 2007. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	American Museum of Natural History, hominids (humans and recent extinct relatives), 2007. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/D. Finnin.	American Museum of Natural History, primates, 2007. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.
American Museum of Natural History, primates, no date. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/C. Morris.	Central Michigan University Museum of Cultural and Natural History, hominids, 1975. Courtesy of the Central Michigan University Museum of Cultural and Natural History.	Central Michigan University Museum of Cultural and Natural History, primates, 1975. Courtesy of the Central Michigan University Museum of Cultural and Natural History.	Cleveland Museum of Natural History, hominids (humans and recent extinct relatives), 1980. Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, hominids (humans and recent extinct relatives), 1982. Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.	Cleveland Museum of Natural History, hominids (humans and recent extinct relatives), 1982. Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.	Denver Zoological Foundation, primates, 1996. Courtesy of the Denver Zoological Foundation.	Denver Museum of Nature and Science, primates, 1995. © The Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan, primates, 1986. Courtesy of the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan; photographed by Dan Erickson.	Explore Evolution, primates, 2005. UNSM Angie Fox and SMM illustration; chimpanzee photo courtesy of Michael Neugebauer; bonobo photo courtesy of Mike Nepper, Milwaukee County Zoo; human, gorilla, orangutan photos courtesy of photos.com.	Frank H. McClung Museum, The University of Tennessee, hominids (humans and recent extinct relatives), 2004. Courtesy of the Frank H. McClung Museum, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.	The Field Museum, primates, 2006. © The Field Museum.
Harvard Museum of Natural History, primates, 2004. Courtesy of the Harvard Museum of Natural History.	Harvard Museum of Natural History, hominids (humans and recent extinct relatives), 2009. Courtesy of the Harvard Museum of Natural History.	Harvard Museum of Natural History, primates, 2009. Courtesy of the Harvard Museum of Natural History.	Henry Doorly Zoo, primates, 2004. Courtesy of the Henry Doorly Zoo.
Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, hominids (humans and recent extinct relatives), 1990. Courtesy of the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology.	Naturalis, primates, 1998. Courtesy of Naturalis.	Naturalis, hominids (humans and recent extinct relatives), 1998. Courtesy of Naturalis.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, hominids, 2008. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.
Santa Barbara Zoo, primates, 1996. Courtesy of the Santa Barbara Zoo.

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Vertebrates: Horses

Canadian Museum of Nature, horses, 2006. Image by Glenn Gobuyan is reproduced courtesy of the Canadian Museum of Nature.	Denver Museum of Nature and Science, horses, 1995. © The Denver Museum of Nature and Science.	Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan, horses, 1997. Courtesy of the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan; photographed by Dan Erickson.	Florida Museum of Natural History, horses, 2004. Courtesy of the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Harvard Museum of Natural History, horses, 2005. Courtesy of the Harvard Museum of Natural History.	University of Kansas Natural History Museum, horses, 1955. Courtesy of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum.	Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, horses, 1985. Courtesy of the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology.	Thomas Condon Paleontology Center, horses, 2005. Thomas Condon Paleontology Center, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument; photo courtesy of the National Park Service.
Amherst College Museum of Natural History, horses, 2006. Courtesy of the Amherst College Museum of Natural History, The Trustees of Amherst College.

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Vertebrates: Dinosaurs

American Museum of Natural History, dinosaurs, 1990. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	Auckland Museum, ichthyosaurs and other vertebrates, 1999. Photo by T. Trnski, Auckland Museum.	Auckland Museum, mosasaurs and other vertebrates, 1999. Photo by T. Trnski, Auckland Museum.	Auckland Museum, dinosaurs, 1999. Photo by T. Trnski, Auckland Museum.
Auckland Museum, plesiosaurs and other vertebrates, 1999. Photo by T. Trnski, Auckland Museum.	Auckland Museum, dinosaurs, 1999. Photo by T. Trnski, Auckland Museum.	Carnegie Museum of Natural History, dinosaurs, 2008. © Carnegie Museum of Natural History.	Cleveland Museum of Natural History, dinosaurs, 1972. Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, dinosaurs, 1972. Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.	Denver Museum of Nature and Science, dinosaurs and other vertebrates, 1995. © The Denver Museum of Nature and Science.	The Field Museum, dinosaurs, 2006. © The Field Museum.	The Field Museum, dinosaurs, 2006. © The Field Museum.
The Field Museum, dinosaurs, 2006. © The Field Museum.	The Field Museum, dinosaurs, 2006. © The Field Museum.	The Field Museum, dinosaurs, 2006. © The Field Museum.	University of Kansas Natural History Museum, dinosaurs and birds, 2003. Courtesy of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum.
University of Kansas Natural History Museum, mosasaurs and other vertebrates, 2008. Courtesy of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum.	University of Kansas Natural History Museum, dinosaurs and other vertebrates, 1970. Courtesy of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum.	McWane Science Center, mosasaurs and other vertebrates, 2006. Image courtesy of McWane Science Center, Birmingham, Alabama.	Museum of the Earth, dinosaurs and other vertebrates, 2003. Courtesy of the Museum of the Earth.
Museum of the Earth, dinosaurs and birds, 2003. Courtesy of the Museum of the Earth.	Naturalis, dinosaurs, 1998. Courtesy of Naturalis.	North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, dinosaurs, 2000. Courtesy of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.	New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, dinosaurs and other vertebrates, 2000. Courtesy of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science.
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, dinosaurs and other vertebrates, 1985. Courtesy of the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology.	Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, dinosaurs, 2008. Courtesy of the Royal Tyrrell Museum.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, dinosaurs and other vertebrates, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, dinosaurs and birds, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, dinosaurs, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.	University of California Museum of Paleontology, dinosaurs and other vertebrates, 2008. Courtesy of the University of California Museum of Paleontology.	Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, dinosaurs, 2003. Used with permission of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History.

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Vertebrates: Fish

American Museum of Natural History, chondrichthyans (sharks, rays and relatives), 1990. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	Booth Museum of Natural History, fish, 1976. © Brighton Royal Pavilion and Museums, Booth Museum of Natural History.	Cleveland Museum of Natural History, fish, 1972. Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.	Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan, teleosts (bony fish), 1970. Courtesy of the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan; photographed by Dan Erickson.
Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan, teleosts (bony fish), 1970. Courtesy of the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan; photographed by Dan Erickson.	The Field Museum, fish, 2006. © The Field Museum.	Florida Museum of Natural History, sharks, 2007. Courtesy of the Florida Museum of Natural History.	Florida Museum of Natural History, sharks, 2007. Courtesy of the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, fish, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.

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Vertebrates: Other

Amherst College Museum of Natural History, vertebrates, 2004. Courtesy of the Amherst College Museum of Natural History, The Trustees of Amherst College.	American Museum of Natural History, vertebrates, 2002. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	American Museum of Natural History, vertebrates, 2003. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/D. Finnin/R. Mickens.	American Museum of Natural History, mammals, 2009. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.
American Museum of Natural History, amphibians, 1977. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	American Museum of Natural History, reptiles, 1977. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	American Museum of Natural History, mammals, 1990. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	American Museum of Natural History, vertebrates, 1990. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.
American Museum of Natural History, vertebrates, 1990. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	American Museum of Natural History, vertebrates, 1990. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	American Museum of Natural History, lepospondyls (extinct vertebrates), 1990. Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History, photo by AMNH/A. Aquino.	Canadian Museum of Nature, beavers, 2006. Image by Annie Thérien is reproduced courtesy of the Canadian Museum of Nature.
Canadian Museum of Nature, mammals, 2006. Image by Glenn Gobuyan is reproduced courtesy of the Canadian Museum of Nature.	Denver Museum of Nature and Science, mammals, 1995. © The Denver Museum of Nature and Science.	Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan, mammals, 1970. Courtesy of the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan; photographed by Dan Erickson.	Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan, mammals, 1970. Courtesy of the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan; photographed by Dan Erickson.
Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan, elephants and close relatives, 1970. Courtesy of the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, University of Michigan; photographed by Dan Erickson.	Explore Evolution, whales and close relatives, 2005. SMM illustration, ancient whales John Klausmeyer illustration, modern whales and hippo Adam Wiens illustration.	The Field Museum, mammals, 2006. © The Field Museum.	The Field Museum, reptiles, 2006. © The Field Museum.
The Field Museum, synapsids (mammals and close relatives), 2006. © The Field Museum.	Florida Museum of Natural History, mammals, 2004. Courtesy of the Florida Museum of Natural History.	Florida Museum of Natural History, mammals, 2004. Courtesy of the Florida Museum of Natural History.	Florida Museum of Natural History, turtles, 2004. Courtesy of the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Harvard Museum of Natural History, ungulates, 2005. Courtesy of the Harvard Museum of Natural History.	Houston Museum of Natural Science, vertebrates, 1994. Courtesy of the Houston Museum of Natural Science.	International Wildlife Museum, mammals, 2009. © International Wildlife Museum, tree created by graphic designer Rachel Degelbeck.	University of Kansas Natural History Museum, beavers, 1990. Courtesy of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum.
University of Kansas Natural History Museum, extinct cats, 1990. Courtesy of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum.	Museum of the Earth, mammals, 2003. Courtesy of the Museum of the Earth.	Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, elephants and close relatives, 2007. Courtesy of the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology.	Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, birds, 2008. Courtesy of the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, whales and close relatives, 2008. Courtesy of Mary Parrish/Smithsonian Institution/National Museum of Natural History/Sant Ocean Hall.	Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, sloths and close relatives, 1980. Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution/National Museum of Natural History.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, amniotes, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, canids (dogs and their close relatives), 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, vertebrates, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, mammals, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, vertebrates, 2000. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.	Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, amphibians, 2009. Courtesy of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.
University of California Museum of Paleontology, fish and other vertebrates, 2008. Courtesy of Kevin Padian and the University of California Museum of Paleontology.	University of Nebraska State Museum, elephants and close relatives, 1988. Courtesy of the University of Nebraska State Museum.	Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, mammals, 2008. Used with permission of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History.

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Explore Oregon! Evolutionary trees in a local natural history exhibit

Understanding Evolution

A collection of Tree of Life graphics

Invertebrates

Broad Categories

Other Taxa

Vertebrates: Humans

Vertebrates: Horses

Vertebrates: Dinosaurs

Vertebrates: Fish

Vertebrates: Other

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Invertebrates

Broad Categories

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Vertebrates: Humans

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Vertebrates: Dinosaurs

Vertebrates: Fish

Vertebrates: Other

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