First Look: Edelman Fossil Park & Museum with full-scale replicas, fossil quarry, and VR experience
South Jersey is home to some of the earliest dinosaur discoveries in history. Recreate that history at the dinosaur fossil quarry.
The Philadelphia region is entering a new era of dinosaur discovery, reaffirming South Jersey as one of the world’s most significant sites for paleontology.
The Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University opens March 29, showcasing more than a century of internationally recognized dinosaur fossils and history — right in Philadelphia’s backyard.
A glimpse into the past
Some 66 million years ago, before the fifth mass extinction wiped out three-quarters of Earth’s species, South Jersey was submerged under a shallow sea teeming with marine and terrestrial life. When the city-sized asteroid Chicxulub struck off the coast of what is now Mexico, it set off a chain reaction that led to the extinction of all non-avian dinosaurs. Their remains settled beneath the ocean floor, preserved for millennia.
Today, that prehistoric seabed forms the foundation of South Jersey. In some areas, fossils lie just 65 feet below the surface, waiting to be uncovered.
Bringing the museum to life
The nearly 45,000-square-foot facility, designed by Ennead Architects and KSS Architects, is nestled behind quintessential New Jersey strip malls. A winding road leads visitors to the museum, which prioritizes sustainability through the use of materials like Accoya-modified pine wood and reduced-cement concrete. More than 70 geothermal wells beneath the parking lot provide most of the museum’s heating and cooling.
The museum was brought to life through the efforts of Ken Lacovara, an award-winning paleontologist credited with discovering one of the world’s largest terrestrial dinosaurs, the Dreadnoughtus. His partnerships with Rowan University, where he teaches, and a $25 million donation from Ric and Jean Edelman made the project possible.
What to expect
The Edelman Fossil Park & Museum is an interactive learning center curated by Lacovara and experiential designers at G&A to transport visitors back in time to when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Exhibits explore how these creatures coexisted with other wildlife, why they disappeared, and what lessons their extinction holds for today’s climate challenges.
Beyond fossils, the museum offers immersive experiences, including free-roaming virtual reality adventures and a fossil quarry where visitors can dig for their own discoveries. Plans are in the works to introduce “Night at the Museum” sleepovers.
Exhibits
On the museum’s first floor, three exhibits immerse visitors in jungle, coastal, and forest-like terrains with life-size recreations of dinosaurs that inhabited this region millions of years ago. World-renowned paleoartist Gary Staab created all the replicas seen in the museum.
Dinosaur Coast: Walk through what the East Coast would’ve looked like 66 million years ago, including depictions of local dinosaurs experiencing the highs and lows of everyday life.
Monstrous Seas: An “underwater” exhibit, complete with ocean floor lighting and sounds, houses the museum’s largest dinosaur recreation of the 55-foot Mosasaur and other aquatic dinosaurs from the region.
Hall of Extinction & Hope: A sobering yet inspiring look at the fifth mass extinction and humanity’s role in preventing a sixth. The exhibit concludes with an interactive kiosk offering ways to take action.
Discovery Forest: A nature-themed lounge and library area to watch educational videos, discover fossils, and learn about Earth’s history.
Collections & Conservation: A research space where Rowan University paleontologists and students study and store fossils.
Critter Cove: Live touch-tank exhibits featuring distant relatives of Cretaceous-era creatures.
Immersive add-on experiences
Expedition Voyager: (15 minutes) A virtual reality experience where guests join an expedition crew, encountering dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures while collecting scientific samples.
Fossil Quarry Dig: (90 minutes) The main attraction, where guests can dig into the soft earth of the marl quarry to find fossils from the Cretaceous period and take home discoveries.
Cafe & Gift shop
Quarry Grounds Cafe: Named after the museum’s own line of coffee, Quarry Grounds, this corner cafe sells coffee and espresso drinks, pastries, and small bites sourced from local New Jersey vendors.
Darwin & Co. Store: A nod to English scientist Charles Darwin, the museum’s gift shop sells an assortment of books, puzzles, games, plush toys, jewelry, science kits, clothing, and more. An online version of the store will be available soon at darwinandco.org.
General admission includes access to all exhibits. Add-on experiences (the Expedition Voyage and Fossil Quarry Dig) are $25 each.
Admission prices:
Explorer (13+): $29
Junior Explorer (3-12): $24
Toddler (0-2): Free
Admission prices with add-on experiences
Explorer (13+): $79 for both; $54 with one
Junior Explorer (3-12): $74 for both; $49 with one
Toddler (0-2): Free
Annual memberships provide free unlimited access to the museum and 50% off the Fossil Quarry Dig experience, among other benefits.
Individual: $69 / Save $18 after 3 visits
Dual: $99 / Save $75 after 3 visits
Family of 3: $149 / Save $97 after 3 visits
Family of 4: $179 / Save $139 after 3 visits
Family of 6: $199 / Save $263 after 3 visits