Shanghai Institute of Optical Instruments was established in 1958. And in Feb.1979 it was reorganized from the former Shanghai research office of optical instruments of The first Engineering Industrial Ministry, which was approved by Shanghai Science and Technological Commission, and gained organization independence in Sep. 1984.

The institute is subject to engineering industrial system, and is one of the most important institute. It mainly engages in development and research of optical instrument, engineering optics application technology and the trade general technology. Meanwhile, it do the related job, such as quality control and standardization, information programming. The institute has nearly 200 employees, 60% of them are technician, covers a total area of 10500m2, construction area of 15600 m2, and has 21 million yuan of fixed assets.

In recent years, the institute had finished around 200 items of research project, 60 of them gained scientific and technical result progressive award. It has a professional scientific research team which was guided by academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, chief of institute, professor Zhuang Songlin, who is also the president of photoelectricity engineering branch of Shanghai Science and Technology University. In order to improve the discipline competence and achieve combination of production,teaching, and research, supplement with each other's advantages, drive the application and innovation of the engineering science, and promote industrialization of technological result, the institute established a teaching base of photoelectric science research together with Shanghai Science and Technology University, and plans to set up a joint laboratory with Shanghai JingKe Company.