中国科学院力学研究所创建于1956年，是以钱学森先生工程科学思想建所的综合性国家级力学研究基地，在国际力学界享有盛誉，为中国航空航天事业及国家经济社会发展做出了重要贡献。钱学森、钱伟长为第一任正、副所长；郭永怀副所长曾长期主持工作；继任所长为郑哲敏、薛明伦、洪友士、樊菁、秦伟，现任所长刘桂菊。
力学所明确并坚持自身发展定位，即坚持工程科学思想，聚焦制约国家重大任务的关键共性技术和核心科学问题，推动力学与相关学科的深度交叉，实现原始创新、系统集成、平台建设和人才培养的有机结合，建设国际一流科教融合工程科学研究基地。
力学所主要研究方向为：微尺度力学与跨尺度关联，高温气体动力学与跨大气层飞行，微重力科学与应用，海洋工程、环境、能源与交通中的重大力学问题，先进制造工艺力学，生物力学与生物工程等。
力学所现设有5个实体实验室。非线性力学国家重点实验室（LNM）、高温气体动力学国家重点实验室（LHD）、中国科学院微重力重点实验室（NML）、中国科学院流固耦合系统力学重点实验室（LMFS）、宽域飞行工程科学与应用中心。
The Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was founded in 1956. It is a comprehensive national research base for mechanics based on Qian Xuesen's engineering science thought. It enjoys a high reputation in the international field of mechanics and has made important contributions to China's aerospace industry and national economic and social development. Qian Xuesen and Qian Weichang were the first full and deputy directors. Guo Yonghuai, deputy director, presided over the work for a long time; He was succeeded by Zheng Zhemin, Xue Minglun, Hong Youshi, Fan Jing and Qin Wei, and the current director is Liu Guiju.
The Institute of Mechanics has defined and adhered to its own development orientation, that is, it adheres to the idea of engineering science, focuses on key generic technologies and core scientific issues that restrict major national tasks, promotes the deep crossover of mechanics and related disciplines, realizes the organic combination of original innovation, system integration, platform construction and talent training, and builds a world-class engineering science research base integrating science and education.
The main research interests of the Institute are: micro-scale mechanics and cross-scale correlation, high-temperature gas dynamics and trans-atmospheric flight, microgravity science and application, major mechanical problems in ocean engineering, environment, energy and transportation, advanced manufacturing process mechanics, biomechanics and bioengineering, etc.
The Institute now has 5 physical laboratories. State Key Laboratory of Nonlinear Mechanics (LNM), State Key Laboratory of High Temperature Gas Dynamics (LHD), Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Microgravity (NML), Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Fluid-Structure Coupling System Mechanics (LMFS), Wide Area Flight Engineering Science and Application Center.