Institut Langevin was set up in 2009 by Mathias Fink. It was created by merging two laboratories: the "Waves and Acoustics laboratory", founded and directed by Mathias Fink, and the "Optics Physics laboratory" led by Claude Boccara. The aim was to create a laboratory of which the activities would cover all kinds of waves.

Arnaud Tourin succeeded to Mathias Fink as Director of Institut Langevin in 2014. He is assisted by a deputy-director, Yannnick De Wilde, and a scientific committee composed of Claire Prada, Rémi Carminati, Claude Boccara and Mathias Fink.