Tickets to South Jersey’s ‘Jurassic Park’-like fossil park and museum on sale now

South Jersey’s highly anticipated “Jurassic Park”-like dinosaur museum and fossil quarry is set to open next month, with tickets on sale now.

The Edelman Fossil Park and Museum of Rowan University (EFM) will open March 29 in Sewell, New Jersey, featuring a multilevel immersive museum, free-roaming virtual reality experiences, live animal encounters, and a four-acre fossil quarry where more than 100,000 fossils have already been uncovered.

“Our goal with the museum is to bring back that childlike sense of wonder and help people feel a deeper connection to the incredible history of our planet,” said Kenneth Lacovara, a paleontologist and the museum’s founding executive director.

Some 66 million years ago, southern New Jersey was a shallow sea, teeming with marine life during the Cretaceous Period. Today, the Edelman Fossil Park sits on the fossil-rich soil left behind by that prehistoric ocean.

“The fossils unearthed here tell the epic story of life’s fragility and resilience, weaving a cautionary tale that frames our present challenges and provides a road map toward a more sustainable tomorrow,” Lacovara said. “We open a window onto the profound and pivotal events of the fifth mass extinction, during which the dinosaurs and 75% of species perished, shaping the modern world as we know it.”

The region holds a significant place in the history of paleontology. In 1866, Philadelphia-based paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope discovered the first-ever Tyrannosaurus skeleton less than a mile from what is now the fossil park. A full-scale recreation of the dinosaur will be on display at the museum. (Cope is also known for his fierce rivalry — dubbed the “Bone Wars” — with Yale paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh.)

The fossil quarry will only be open from May through October each year, meaning visitors on opening day won’t be able to dig for fossils just yet. Still, museum officials say there will be plenty to see and do.

The $70-million-dollar project, partially funded by a $25 million donation from Rowan alums Ric and Jean Edelman, began more than three years ago. Originally scheduled to open last summer, the grand opening was delayed to the fall 2024 before its current March 2025 launch date.

Park officials expect the facility to attract more than 200,000 visitors annually and generate $300 million in economic impact for the region over 10 years. The museum was also designed with geothermal and electric systems to reduce its carbon footprint.

Visit efm.org/tickets to buy tickets to the park. The first available tickets are for March 29.

Ticket prices:

Additional experiences, including the Quarry Fossil Dig (ages 3 and up) and Virtual Reality Pass (ages 8 and up), are available as add-ons for $25 per person. The Quarry Fossil Dig is only offered from May through October.