The mission of Heritage & University Archives is to locate, identify, record, assist in the preservation of, and promote knowledge about the history of Florida State University and its predecessor institutions. Students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and friends have expressed this heritage through published, unpublished, audio and visual materials, memorabilia, ceremonial objects, and official university records.

By acquiring, preserving, and making these materials accessible to researchers, the university is able to chronicle and promote its history from its inception as West Florida Seminary in the 1850s to the present. Records in the university archives are generated by the various campus administrative and academic departments, and document the official day to day business of the institution and its administration. These materials are essential in understanding the growth and development of the university.