A method of manufacturing an electron emission element, including forming common wire electrodes (signal lines) (4a, 4b) on a substrate (1) and forming electron emission units including fibrous material assemblies (6a, 6b) on the common wire electrodes (4a, 4b), respectively, for preventing abnormal discharge caused by an antistatic film (7) with no deterioration in characteristics of the electron emission element. The electrode forming is followed by forming resist patterns (40a, 40b) covering at least part of the common wire electrodes (4a, 4b) before the antistatic film is formed. Thereafter the resist patterns (40a, 40b) on the common wire electrodes (4a, 4b) are removed together with the antistatic film (7) before the electron emission unit is formed, so that the electron emission units made of the fibrous material assemblies (6a, 6b) are formed on the common wire electrodes (4a, 4b) from which the resist patterns (40a, 40b) have been removed.