The Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas (CIOp) was established on September 12, 1977 through an agreement between the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, National Scientific and Technical Research Council), the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP, National University of La Plata), and the Laboratorio de Ensayo de Materiales e Investigaciones Tecnológicas (LEMIT, Materials Testing and Technological Research Laboratory). Its foundation was based on the Laboratory of Spectroscopy, Optics and Lasers (LEOL) of the Department of Physics at the School of Exact Sciences of UNLP, which has been active since 1965. In 1979, by Decree No. 1476/79 of the Executive Branch of the Province of Buenos Aires, LEMIT was transferred to the Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC, Scientific Research Commission of the Province of Buenos Aires). CIC then replaced LEMIT among the institutions sponsoring CIOp.

On November 18, 1985, CONICET, UNLP, and CIC signed a termination agreement of the Centers and Institutes Establishment Convention, whereby CIOp became legally, organizationally, and administratively dependent on CIC.

On May 2, 1991, a new Collaboration Agreement was signed between CONICET and CIC for the operation and development of the institute. As a result, CIOp once again became jointly dependent on both institutions. This arrangement remains in force to the present day.

Over the past 48 years, CIOp has maintained sustained academic activity and human resource training. This activity can be summarized as follows:

• Publication of more than 750 papers in scientific journals and over 450 contributions in proceedings of national and international conferences.
• Training of more than 40 PhD graduates in physics and engineering, and supervision of more than 80 fellows from national and international universities.
• Organization and delivery of more than 40 postgraduate courses at CIOp.
• Delivery of more than 70 courses and seminars at national and international universities.
• Hosting of more than 170 international researchers, maintaining over 30 scientific and technological cooperation agreements with universities and research and development institutions both nationally and internationally.