Provided is a method of driving an electron emission apparatus that drives the apparatus including a plurality of electron emission devices each having an electron supply layer formed of silicon, a silicon-based mixture or a compound thereof, an insulator layer formed on the electron supply layer and a thin film metal electrode formed on the insulator layer. The plurality of electron emission devices are sealed and the method includes: a driving step for supplying power between the electron supply layer and the thin film metal electrode to cause electrons to be emitted from the electron emission device and a reactivating step for applying a reactivating voltage at a level equal to or higher than an applied voltage value which causes discontinuity in differential value of the device current flowing between the electron supply layer and the thin film metal electrode with respect to the applied voltage.