The activities of the institute concentrate on multidisciplinary research in the Archipelago Sea and the Baltic Sea Region, with a particular focus on long-term monitoring and modelling the state of the marine environment.

Marine environmental monitoring, which began in 1966, is being carried out at the ODAS (Oceanographic Data Acquisition System) monitoring site on the northern side of the island. Such monitoring includes the detection of both long-term changes and short-term process changes with an automatic profiling measurement buoy. This environmental monitoring is carried out in cooperation with many different stakeholders.

The research institute offers visitors a wide range of research services

The Archipelago Research Institute offers research services to researchers, teachers and students visiting the island, including, among other things, working spaces and laboratory facilities, research equipment, boat transport and rental services, as well as the long-term monitoring data related to the biota and marine conditions on the island.

In addition to research and teaching, a central part of the research institute activities involves both science communications and tourism.