The Archaeology Institute at the University of West Florida is an educational, research and service facility concerned with the prehistoric and historic archaeological resources of the northwest Florida region. Archaeological investigations are conducted in both terrestrial and underwater settings. The Institute has a professional staff of nine archaeologists, a computer graphics/GIS analyst, a marine captain/dive safety officer and an office manager. Additional staff and students are regularly employed through grant and contract funds.

Administratively, the Archaeology Institute is part of the Division of Anthropology and Archaeology and provides educational support to the Anthropology Department’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Pensacola. In addition, a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation is offered in cooperation with the Department of History. Students obtain extensive training and hands on experience in classroom, field school, laboratory and fieldwork settings. We also provide training and services in bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology.

The facilities of the Archaeology Institute include exhibit space, laboratories, offices and collection curation space in three recently constructed or remodeled buildings. An exhibit hall open to the public is located in the Archaeology Institute Building (89). Standard archaeological research equipment maintained by the Institute includes excavation and laboratory tools, computers with CAD and GIS capabilities, digital cameras, total stations, microscopes and vehicles. Special facilities include terrestrial and marine remote sensing equipment, forensic anthropology/human osteology labs, artifact conservation labs, diving equipment, boats and work platforms, comparative faunal collections, research libraries and prehistoric/historic collections from two decades of previous archaeological research in northwest Florida.

The Archaeology Institute serves the northwest Florida region not only through its academic and extensive public outreach programs, but also by providing professional archaeological services and consulting for historic preservation and cultural resource management undertakings. For more information, call (850) 474-3015.