A few days after celebrating it’s one year anniversary of being officially open to the public, the Edelman Fossil Park and Museum has decided to celebrate by introducing long-awaited discounts for Rowan University students.

The discount was announced in an Instagram post on March 30. Active Rowan students are eligible for one free visit for the academic year, 50% off all following visits, and are eligible for 50% off a bronze membership to the Edelman Fossil Park and Museum, located in Sewell. 

Though students are not the only Profs able to get in the discounting, Rowan employees can purchase a bronze membership for a single-day admission, which is $29. 

A Bronze membership typically runs $49 annually and offers the following benefits: unlimited museum access, 10% retail discount, 10% cafe discount, $20 quarry digs, no reservations required to the museum, free access to the Act Now Library, Bring-A-Friend Days, special discounts, and exclusive event access. 

With this student discount, a bronze membership would be less than one day’s museum access without the discount. 

“The park is still very new, but part of the mission of the museum is to bring this museum and conversation about climate change to as many people as possible and the people that are going to help affect change are younger people and people that are already involved in our community,” said Ryan Hallowell, marketing and sales manager for the Edelman Fossil Park and Museum. 

Hallowell has been in the world of museums and attractions for over a decade, being a part of the Edelman Fossil Park and Museum since its beginning stages, and continuing on with the decision to introduce Rowan student discounts. 

“It just felt like a natural progression for Rowan students to come and enjoy this facility for free because we are a part of Rowan. We just want to be able to welcome everybody,” said Hallowell. “I think this place is amazing, and you can come here a lot more than one time. So, bronze membership gets you admission to the museum for an entire year. If parents’ weekend was coming and you wanted to bring your parents because they were visiting you, you’d be able to go again. It just allows more access to the museum.”

Hallowell also touched on the subject of alumni discounts someday being offered to the Rowan community. 

“Not necessarily at this time. We do work with the Rowan Alumni Office to do some alumni evenings and events through their office, and we obviously look to continue to do more of those. But from a general discounting standpoint, we’re not quite at that point yet,” said Hallowell. 

Hallowell also commented that none of the student discounts apply to quarry digs.  

Frank Mellor is a freshman mechanical engineering major who has only heard about the Edelman Fossil Park and Museum. For Mellor, it is not money or a discount that is the problem. Rather, it’s time. 

“It’s not really related to what I want to do with engineering, but I’ve always been interested in history, so it would be a cool experience to go and do one day. That sounds great, the student discounts,” said Mellor. 

Sherell Carolina is a junior early childhood education major who has never visited the EFM but is excited to know that they have introduced the discounts. 

“I have not been, but yes, I would go now. Especially if I can get that discount,” said Carolina. 

To access the discounts Edelman Fossil Park and Museum is offering, Rowan students and staff must bring their RowanCard.

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