A multi-mode stereoscopic image display method and apparatus wherein a plane picture and a stereoscopic picture can be displayed on a single display device. In the method and apparatus, video signals obtained by photographing an object at different angles are displayed on a display unit and a mode signal for assigning a stereoscopic mode or a plane mode is generated. In a stereoscopic mode, a picture displayed on the display unit is separated into a left-eye picture and a right-eye picture being incident to the left eye and the light eye of an observer. In a plane mode, said picture displayed on the display unit is transmitted to the observer without change.