Fossil Museum in New Jersey Set to Open Next Year
Dig this…a new fossil museum in New Jersey is planned to open during spring of next year, and it’ll have so many prehistoric finds sure to impress dinosaur fans of all ages!
The Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University will be located in Mantua Township, N.J., about 1.5 hours from Staten Island. When it opens, visitors will get the chance to explore New Jersey’s prehistoric past and discover the species of dinos who once lived and roamed within the Garden State.
Set into a 65-acre landscape, the future fossil museum in New Jersey will perch above a former marl quarry where, within its muddy depths, 66-million-year-old marine and terrestrial fossils record the last moments of the dinosaur world. Researchers have found an amazing array of fossils at the site, including the remains of terrifying, bus-length mosasaurs, marine crocodiles, sea turtles, bony fish, shark teeth, brachiopods, marine snails and much more.
What to Expect at the New Fossil Museum in New Jersey
Dinosaur and prehistoric history buffs will explore so many activities and exhibits once the museum is open. A variety of exhibits and activities are planned at the $73 million park and museum, including:
- Immersive exhibit galleries
- Full-scale reconstructions of extinct creatures
- Hands-on learning experiences
- Live animal attractions
- Connections to the natural world
Dr. Kenneth Lacovara, fossil park director and founding dean of Rowan’s School of Earth & Environment, conducts research at the site.
“We are building a museum like no other, on a fossil site of global importance that will connect visitors to the ancient past, to the thrill of discovery and to Rowan University,” Lacovara said, around the time of the museum’s groundbreaking in 2021.
The fossil museum in New Jersey will be eco-friendly, too. According to a press release, it’ll feature geothermal, water-source heating and cooling systems and a photovoltaic solar field. In addition, the surrounding grounds will restore plant and animal habitat and other landscape features.
The fossil museum and park is named after Rowan alumni, Ric and Jean Edelman. To learn more about the project, visit rowan.edu/fossils.
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