The Moorestown Library hosted a ‘roarin’ program for residents last month.
Ambassadors for the Jean and Ric Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University dived into the history of the facility on Aug. 3, sharing interesting facts on all things dinosaurs and fossils.
It’s been a long road for Museum Education Coordinator Ginny Brown, who loves her job at the museum. Her background is in biology, and she’s been working in biological information and biological research since she graduated from the University of Delaware years ago. For almost her entire career she’s worked in the field of science, so working with small kids as museum education coordinator is something new for her.
“I have never worked somewhere where everyone is on board and passionate about a mission the way we are,” she said. “Nobody here comes to work unhappy. Everyone who comes in here is just so excited that we get to work among other scientist enthusiasts. We’re also very focused on preserving our environment while keeping the environment at least where it is now and not getting worse. That’s my main mission here is to inspire the study of science.”
The mission of the Jean and Ric Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University is to be a catalyst for good through the power of understanding the past. A former marl quarry, the museum’s 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 more.
The team of Dr. Kenneth Lacovara, the museum’s founding executive director, analyzes the fossils, the sediments collected around them, and the geochemistry of the site to gain a clearer picture of the period when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. The museum is a cool place where attendees can search for real fossils from 66 million years ago, journey through a virtual reality expedition, peruse a variety of immersive exhibits and attractions, and engage with daily programs and events like Yoga with the Dinosaurs and Citizen Science, a free, hands-on program where visitors of all ages can take part in real scientific research.
“An enthusiastic audience is always walking through,” Brown said. “People want to be here and it’s just infectious. Even if you’re not into science, the artwork in this building is absolutely breathtaking. My goal as the education coordinator is to get as many kids as possible into this environment, whether they’re getting their hands in the dirt or they’re walking under the trees or listening to the birds… It’s just getting them out into nature.”
The museum and the Logan Township Library branch under the Gloucester County Library System are collaborating to host a Dinovember event on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m. Just like the Moorestown Library’s event, patrons will have the chance to dive into the history of the park and learn about the fascinating fossils discovered at the museum. Registration is required. To do so, visit the ‘events’ tab at www.gcls.org.
For more information on the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University, visit www.efm.org.
A former marl quarry, the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University’s fossil bed has yielded more than 100,000 fossils representing over 100 species of marine and land animals.
The museum is a space where attendees can search for real fossils from 66 million years ago, peruse a variety of immersive exhibits and attractions and engage with daily programs and events.
