Hydrogen energy is a new type of green and sustainable energy. Because of the high storage cost and the safety problems, the two traditional methods of hydrogen storage, namely the high-pressure gas storage and the low-temperature liquid hydrogen storage, are not suitable for practical applications, limiting the broad commercial application of hydrogen energy. Studying and developing of solid hydrogen storage materials with high storage density and excellent thermodynamic and cyclic kinetic properties are the basic way to solve the problems in efficient and safe storages and transportations of hydrogen. Solid hydrogen storage, namely the so-called solid materials for hydrogen storage, has good storage capacity, energy efficiency, reversibility, and safety, and brings a good prospect for the practical applications of hydrogen energy. Various solid materials have been investigated for hydrogen storage applications. Up to now, none of the materials currently has met the on-board hydrogen storage criteria in the related industry. The hydrogen storage properties of existing solid hydrogen storage materials were summarized and the basic principles of the two important modification strategies, catalyst addition and nanostructure, were described, so as to provide some theoretical bases and references for the search and the design of new solid hydrogen storage materials with excellent performances.