Major activities undertaken by the IES include organizing excavations, enlisting financial support for archaeological projects, publishing excavation reports and liaison and cooperation with Israeli and foreign institutions in the field of publication and in a collective effort to promote the cause of archaeology.

[2] Due to the advent of WWII and other reasons, the society folded without conducting any excavations or publishing any reports.

[2] During the period of the British Mandate, the society was responsible for the first archaeological excavations ever conducted by a Jewish organization in Palestine, at Hamat Tiberias, where Nahum Slouschz discovered a Late Roman to Byzantine-period synagogue.

[3][4] Other digs were carried out at Absalom's Tomb, around Jerusalem's Old City walls, Ramat Rachel, Beit She'arim and Tel Bet Yerah.

[8] The citation of the judges’ committee notes: "It has been the principal and most effective institution for furthering knowledge of the archaeology and history of the country both at home and abroad since it was founded seventy-five years ago."