Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University

Situated within a 65-acre fossil park, the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University is one of the largest public net zero carbon emissions buildings in New Jersey. This project represents a commitment to sustainable architecture, utilizing West Dek GLT panels and glulam to create a hybrid structure that maximizes renewable resources. The post and beam framework, enhanced by West Dek panels, fosters a spacious interior, biophilic environment, welcoming visitors and providing an exceptional workspace for staff. Glulam's versatility enabled prefabricated electrical integration and a sleek finish, aligning with the architects' and clients' vision for the space.

The 44,000-square-foot museum, designed by Ennead Architects, KSS Architects, and G&A, features immersive exhibits that connect visitors to the fantastic story of the site. The site design maximizes the experience for museum-goers, seamlessly integrating nature with the museum and quarry. Visitors are invited to dig for real fossils in the quarry, which is home to thousands of fossils from the Late Cretaceous Period when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

The museum experience is complete with an array of engaging attractions such as full-scale reconstructions of extinct creatures, hands-on learning experiences, live animal attractions, a collections and conservation facility, a virtual reality chamber, a 138-seat theater and event space, and community gathering spaces with connections to the natural world.
In addition to participating in the digs and traversing the walking trails, visitors can also enjoy a dinosaur-themed playground, complete with a giant Pteranodon climbing structure. Ennead and KSS worked closely with landscape architects SEED Design, intentionally designing the nature park to create a cohesive journey from start to finish, linking indoor and outdoor experiences and unifying the park's various elements.  

The high-performance building was designed to meet the Energy Petal Certification of the Living Building Challenge and is carbon net zero. The building massing and orientation rely on passive strategies for efficient performance and are designed to maximize visitors’ experiential connection to the site while minimizing the heating and cooling loads inside the building. The commitment to on-site energy production informs the all-electric mechanical systems within the building as well as the design for the site. A geothermal system with on-site wells and a ground-source heat pump provides heating and cooling for the building, drawing from the constant temperature found deep within the earth to condition the interior spaces. 

Edelman Fossil Park & Museum received the 2025 Green GOOD DESIGN Award, presented by the Chicago Athenaeum's Museum of Architecture and Design, which recognizes projects that represent the world's most important examples of sustainable design.