Before Georgian and Victorian buildings, and even before the wigwams, wickiups, and longhouses, pre-historic creatures inhabited New Jersey. South Jersey, in particular, is a “hot bed of dino action.”  Located just 15 miles away from the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum in Haddonfield, Hadrosaurus foulkii was the first dinosaur to be discovered and described in North America. The Hadrosaurus foulkii Leidy site is now a National Historic Landmark! Other famous South Jersey dinos include a Dryptosaurus from Mantua and a Deinosuchus from Gloucester County. The Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University in Mantua is in the heart of all this “dino action.” 

The Edelman Fossil Park & Museum is the result of Dr. Kenneth Lacovara's vision. Drawing on his extensive experience excavating some of the world's largest dinosaurs, Dr. Lacovara-- founding executive director and former dean of the School of Earth & Environment at Rowan University-- recognized the immense potential of this former marl quarry in the early 2000s. To date, this fossil bed has yielded more than 100,000 fossils representing over 100 species of marine and land animals, including the remains of bus-length mosasaurs, marine crocodiles, sea turtles, bony fish, shark teeth, brachiopods, marine snails, and much more. Dr. Lacovara and his team meticulously analyze the fossils, the sediments collected around them, and the geochemistry of the quarry to gain a clearer picture of the period when dinosaurs roamed the earth. The team’s dedication has transformed the Mantua site into the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum, whose mission extends beyond research. The museum is committed to encouraging the public to discover the past through the Museum’s authentic, hands-on, scientific experiences and to protect the future by embodying the principle “no fossil fuels at the fossil park,” and becoming the first net zero carbon building constructed in New Jersey.  

Inside its walls, the environmentally conscious museum invites visitors to travel back in time to 66-million years ago to learn about dinosaurs and other prehistoric species. The museum features full-scale dinosaur sculptures, an interactive fossil scavenger hunt, free-roaming virtual reality, and live animal exhibits. Visitors will bear witness to life-sized depictions of epic creatures, discover marine life, watch paleontologists preserve real fossils, or be guided on a virtual reality trip to collect scientific samples through incredible imagery and interactions with some of the museum’s inhabitants. In the Hall of Extinction & Hope, learn how the asteroid impact ended the reign of the dinosaurs and what you can do to help combat the climate and biodiversity crises.  

The adventure continues beyond the museum’s walls. Outside, visitors can dig through the Pleistocene period and take home their very own fossils, or if they're lucky, contribute to the scientific understanding of the last of the dinosaurs! Visitors can also observe paleontologists in active research, enjoy a dinosaur-themed playground with accessible features, or hike along nature trails. 

Don’t miss your opportunity to open a window to the past and discover the thrill of scientific discovery, preservation, and sustainability.  

For tickets and more information, visit the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum website.