This paper depicts the definition, elements and connotation of the culture of innovation in agricultural research institutes, and points out that the culture of innovation consists of conceptual culture, institutional culture, behaviour culture, and park culture. Through analysing the characteristics of the culture of innovation in agricultural research institutes, it has the following characteristics: stability, openness, systematicness, selfawareness, uniqueness. According to the general law of cultural development, we divide the development of the culture of innovation into cultural diagnosis of institutes, publicity and guidance, content building of the culture of innovation, solidifying and deepening of the culture of innovation, and points out the building path of the culture of innovation in agricultural research institutes. Finally this paper proposes the countermeasures and suggestions as follows: the building of the culture of innovation in agricultural research institutes should be combined with long-term development strategy; the building of the culture of innovation in agricultural research institutes should be combined with service and technology innovation; the building of the culture of innovation in agricultural research institutes should be combined with implementation of various kinds of specific work.