Abstract: At present, scientific and technological innovation, and popularization of science are increasingly integrated. Science popularization is becoming more and more important for improving citizens’ scientific literacy, cultivating innovative talents, cultivating innovative atmosphere, strengthening strategic scientific and technological strength, and empowering national governance capabilities and governance systems modernization. The construction of high-level science popularization think tanks has become inevitable requirement in the new stage of development. This paper discusses the importance of constructing high-level science popularization think tanks in terms of serving scientific decision-making, uniting and leading the public to participate in democratic decision-making, and strengthening public opinion guidance. Starting from the central government’s requirements for constructing national high-level think tanks and science popularization service government’s scientific decision-making, this article defines the connotation features of high-level science popularization think tanks and analyzes the basics of high-level science popularization think tanks in terms of construction goals, research content, service targets, and endogenous motivation. For a long time, the two fields of science popularization and think tanks have been divided in China. In most cases, popular science work and popular science research are limited to how to popularize scientific and technological knowledge, and there is still a considerable distance from advisory advice and strategic support. The main problems include the dispersion of work forces, the inconsistency of the organizational structure with the needs of think tank construction, insufficient incentive mechanisms, and poor delivery channels for supply and demand of think tank products. This article combs the literature on the management mechanism and construction path of think tanks at home and abroad in recent years, and the practice of science popularization service decision-making. It constructs an analysis framework for the construction path of high-level science popularization think tanks from the three dimensions of governance system, product production and influence. From these three dimensions, a comparative analysis of the construction practice of national high-level think tanks and excellent domestic and foreign science and technology think tanks is carried out, and practical guidelines for the construction of high-level science popularization think tanks are summarized. This article compares and analyzes the construction experience of 13 national high-level think tanks and science and technology think tanks at home and abroad by means of field surveys, interviews, and literature research. It summarizes and put forward paths for the construction of high-level science popularization think tanks, including establishing a scientific think tank governance system, optimizing the production mechanism of think tank products, and enhancing the influence of think tanks in decision-making. At present, the construction of high-level science popularization think tanks is in the ascendant. It is necessary to scientifically understand the dual relationship between popular science and think tanks, and recognize the important role of popular science from the perspective of serving the country. It is necessary to focus not only on how to optimize the policy research of science popularization work and promote the development of science popularization, but also how to use science popularization work to better serve government’s scientific decision-making, and closely integrate the practice of popular science with the practice of national governance modernization. It will play an important supporting role in public decision-making, crisis response, public opinion guidance, and high-quality economic and social development.