Digging into deep time

Groundbreaking for Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park Museum

By Rowan University

October 10^th, 2021

Celebrating generosity, discovery and the future

With the Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park Museum opening scheduled for Spring 2023, Rowan University welcomed community leaders, project partners and friends to groundbreaking in Fall 2021. Fossil Park Founding Director Dr. Kenneth Lacovara, President Ali Houshmand and Congressman Donald Norcross described how the project would influence STEM education, climate science and the regional economy for generations to come.

Dr. Kenneth Lacovara, Founding Dean, School of Earth & Environment; Founding Director, Edelman Fossil Park of Rowan University

President Houshmand, Jean and Ric Edelman

Ric '80 and Jean '81 Edelman have been generous supporters of STEM education at their alma mater.

The future Fossil Park

The 65-acre Fossil Park tract will be the site of the 44,000-square-foot museum overlooking the quarry and its research site, plus a paleo-themed playground. In Rowan University's commitment to sustainability, the museum will be New Jersey's largest public net-zero facility. The renderings below show the development designed to protect the environment and biodiversity as priorities.