Sharks Are Taking Over Edelman Fossil Park & Museum This August

Sink your teeth into science! This August, Jean and Ric Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University will transform into a prehistoric sea of shark-themed fun, fossil digs, and jaw-dropping discoveries at its annual Sharks at the Park. From August 7 to 16, the celebration will feature multiple events, including an after-hours glow-in-the-dark event, an outdoor foam party by the quarry, hands-on limited-time programming, and the opportunity to explore EFM’s Collections & Conservation area, a space typically reserved for paleontologists and researchers.

Millions of years ago, Edelman Fossil Park & Museum was situated beneath a shallow sea home to a dazzling array of ancient marine life. Today, that prehistoric ocean has left us with incredible fossil clues, especially shark remains. In EFM’s quarry, you might uncover teeth from Odontaspis cuspidata, Cretolamna appendiculata, Otodus obliquus, or even the ultra-rare Palaeocarcharodon, not to mention fossilized shark vertebrae! Together, these fossils offer a glimpse into the ancient sharks that once inhabited the waters covering what is now New Jersey.

Open Waters: Shark Activity Zone
Date: Saturday, August 8 – Sunday, August 16
Price: Included with museum admission
Description: Step into the deep with an interactive takeover celebrating sharks of past and present. Guests can explore hands-on stations throughout the museum, including a science lab exploring why sharks float, a fossil hunting “I Spy” challenge, the Chomper Challenge tooth-identification game, a shark puppet-making station, a shark tattoo station, a shark tooth necklace station, a Wixsticks tracing activity, and a craft station featuring jellyfish-in-a-jar creations that spotlight ocean conservation.

Quarry Shark Tooth Contest
Date: Saturday, August 8 – Sunday, August 16
Price: Included with quarry dig experience
Description: Dig into fun all week! Guests who find a shark tooth during their visit will be entered into a drawing for a year-long Gold membership to EFM plus a $100 gift card.

18+ Bad Science Cinema
Date: Friday, August 7
Time: Museum opens at 5:30 p.m.; movie begins at 7:30 p.m.
Price: Tickets are $30 per person | $5 for Members.
Description: Deep dive into the science of sharks with a special showing of Jaws at EFM’s Theater. Dress code is a day at the beach, and DNA Tattoos will be offering flash tattoos (available for an additional cost).

Kids “Sea” Foam Party
Date: Sunday, August 9
Time: 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m.
Price: $15 per person
Description: Join EFM for an outdoor foam party by the quarry, featuring themed music and plenty of shark-themed summer fun.

18+ Jaws vs. Claws Trivia Night
Date: Thursday, August 13
Time: Museum opens at 5:30 p.m.; trivia runs from 7–9 p.m.
Price (including museum admission and one drink ticket): $30 per person | $20 for members
Description: The ultimate 18+ showdown invites teams of 6 people to face off in a battle of pop culture trivia. Guests are welcome to bring their own snacks and enjoy the beer and wine bar.

EFM PM: Glow-In-The-Shark Party (After-Hours Event)
Date: Saturday, August 15
Time: Museum open from 5–8 p.m.; dance party from 5:30–6:30 p.m.
Price (including museum admission and quarry dig experience): $30 per person | $15 for members
Description: Explore the museum after hours, dig for real fossils in the Quarry, meet amazing live animals, and dive into shark-themed activities throughout the galleries at this special edition of EFM PM. Wear your brightest neon or glow gear and get ready to dance the night away.

Additional program details, tickets and registration information are available at: https://www.efm.org/events/sharksatthepark.

ABOUT EDELMAN FOSSIL PARK & MUSEUM:
Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University is an immersive museum experience that brings awe and wonder to young explorers and lifelong learners. The one-of-a-kind fossil park and museum features full-scale dinosaurs, live animal encounters, an interactive fossil scavenger hunt, free-roaming virtual reality, a unique fossil-digging experience in an active research quarry, and much more. At EFM, guests are transported 66 million years back in time to discover a world once lost, now found: the world of the dinosaurs.

Discover the Past. Protect the Future. For more information, visit www.efm.org.