Universities and research institutes have become important forces in science popularization work of our country. They play an important social role by carrying out various science popularization activities. Harbin Engineering University, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai Insect Museum, Huazhong Agricultural University and other top universities and research institutes are selected as research subjects. Analyze the current science popularization activities carried out by universities and research institutions from the respects of daily management of science popularization work, common ways of science popularization, science popularization activities, and science popularization personnel. Some problems are found, such as the philosophy and understanding of science popularization of many institutes should be improved; science popularization activities lack of brand and characteristics; the innovations of science resources are insufficient and backward on the quality of science popularization personnel. To solve the above problems, it recommends that it should establish incentive science popularization working mechanism, construct a reasonable science popularization personnel structure, create brand and feature science popularization activities and try to carry science popularization activities with other social organizations.