Almine Rech opened its doors on April 1st, 1997 in the 13th arrondissement in Paris. The gallery was founded on an axis of California Minimal, Perceptual art and Conceptual art, representing artists such as James Turrell, John McCracken and Joseph Kosuth. In addition to its stable of internationally recognized, mid-career and emerging artists, it has always been the gallery's mission to continually seek out and include new artists in its program, opening especially to painters. The gallery has held long standing relationships with artists like John McCracken and James Turrell and has since started working with and representing artists and estates such as De Wain Valentine and painters Antoni Tàpies, Karel Appel, Nathaniel Mary Quinn, Vaughn Spann, Claire Tabouret, Genesis Tramaine and Tom Wesselmann among others. In 2006, the gallery moved to a larger two-floor space in
the Marais district and, in 2008, inaugurated a gallery in Brussels. In March 2013, Almine Rech launched its new Paris space on Rue de Turenne. In June 2014, Almine Rech opened a gallery in Savile Row, London. In October 2016, the gallery moved to a larger space on Grosvenor Hill. The gallery opened with a solo exhibition by Jeff Koons. Almine Rech also opened with a Calder Picasso exhibition in Manhattan — the gallery's first exhibition
space in the US — at the end of October, 2016. A second Almine Rech New York gallery space is planned to open in Tribeca in September 2023. In 2019, Almine Rech inaugurated its new Shanghai space. The gallery opened on Huqiu Road in July 2019, with a group show featuring a selection of artists from the gallery’s roster, including John M Armleder, Sylvie Fleury, and Günther Förg. In January 2021, Almine Rech opened a second space in Paris on Avenue Matignon, with a solo show by iconic US artist Kenny Scharf. In September 2022, Almine Rech extended its Paris Gallery at Avenue Matignon, doubling its size.