Pure and Cr2O3 –doped polyvinyl alcohol (Cr2O3 –PVA) composite films with different Cr2O3 concentrations were prepared by solution cast technique. FTIR spectra comparison shows that the Cr2O3 molecules are interstitially distributed among polyvinyl alcohol chains, i.e., there is no chemical bonding between the Cr2O3 and polymer at the specified conditions of the research. The optical properties (absorption, transmission, refraction index, extinction coefficient, real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant) for the samples are investigated at room temperature in wave length range of (190- 1100) nm. The optical band gap (Eg) for allowed direct transition decrease with increase the concentration of Cr2O3 from 5.53 eV for pure PVA to 4.72,2.62 and 2.38 eV for 5%,10%,and 15% respectively.