The building, designed by architect Welton Becket,[5] was dedicated in June 1965, named for University of California Regent Edwin W. Pauley, who had matched the alumni contributions.

The arena was renovated in 2010–12 and was reopened on November 9, 2012, when it hosted a men's basketball game against Indiana State.

The Bruins reopened the newly renovated Pauley Pavilion on November 9, 2012, in front of a record crowd of 13,513.

In 2003, the UCLA Athletic Department made available north side courtside seats to affluent donors.

However, it had been obvious even before then that the Bruins needed a new arena; since 1955 the Men's Gym's capacity had been limited to 1,500 by order of the Los Angeles fire marshal.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, was recruited to UCLA partly on the promise of playing in the new arena.

The volleyball and gymnastics banners list all the years in which Bruin teams were NCAA or National champions.

The retired numbers of UCLA men's and women's basketball players are displayed in the rafters of Pauley Pavilion.

Pauley Pavilion has been the venue for many other sports championships, concerts, commencement ceremonies and political events.

In 1994, composer Henry Mancini, having learned he had terminal cancer, gave his last concert at Pauley Pavilion.

In 2009, UCLA Spring Sing made its Pauley Pavilion return on May 8, having switched from the smaller Los Angeles Tennis Center to this much larger venue due to its popularity and overwhelming demand.

On February 26, 2011, the Bruins hosted their last men's basketball home game against the Arizona Wildcats before extensive renovations were scheduled to begin.

Tyler Trapani, great grandson of Coach John Wooden and member of UCLA's team, fittingly scored the last goal in the old arena.

It was later autographed by coach John Wooden and several former Bruins' players including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton.

[25] Almost every year since its inception, the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards were held inside the arena until the renovations in 2011.

In 2013, UCLA's annual Spring Sing organized by the Student Alumni Association was held in this arena.

Bruins from all areas of campus performed on stage and truly exemplified the talent and spirit of the UCLA community.

[27] Narrowness of the concourses for spectators to walk around the arena, limited food services and restrooms, the lack of luxury boxes, and a floor configuration that keeps some seating sections distant from the floor have been cited by various observers as areas needing improvement.

The Daily Bruin article also noted "a 2012 completion date is now most likely," with UCLA basketball games having to move off-campus for one year.

The last basket of that game was scored by the Bruins' Tyler Trapani, Coach John Wooden's great-grandson.

After Pauley's closure for renovation, the 2011-12 Bruins men's basketball team played their home games off-campus at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and the Honda Center.

Women's basketball and other Pauley Pavilion teams played at the on-campus John Wooden Center.