The University of West Florida was established in 1963 and ground was broken in April 1965. In the same year that ground was broken, the Chambered Nautilus was adopted as the official UWF emblem and by Fall 1967, classes began at UWF. The initial building program, consisted of an administration classroom complex, library, Commons building, science complex, humanities building, audiovisual facility, utilities building and 15 student housing buildings accommodating approximately 500 resident students. Current facilities at UWF include: 35 academic buildings, 21 student services facilities, 25 dormitories, two university village student apartment complexes and 20 plant support facilities.

In 1997, 600 additional acres were acquired which brought the Pensacola campus to 1,600 acres, the second largest main campus in the State University System. In addition to the 1,600 acre main campus, the university owns 152 acres of beach property on nearby Santa Rosa Island, adjacent to the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The beach property is available for instruction, research and recreation.