The Institute of Physics started its activity in 1977. Its predecessor, the Institute of Physics and Mathematics, was founded within the Academy of Sciences in 1956. The Ignalina radioecology monitoring station of the Institute of Physics was established in Vosyliškės, 3.5 km southeast from the Ignalina NPP in 1978. The purpose of this station was to determine regularities of migration of radionuclides in the Ignalina NPP emissions in the ground level air and to evaluate doses caused by the ionizing radiation in the environment.
The Environment Research Station of the Institute of Physics was established in Preila in 1980. Investigations of air pollution, aerosol and climate changes are carried out at the station. The station takes part in the international projects: EMEP (co-operative program for monitoring and evaluation of migration of stable air pollutants in Europe), ACCENT (Atmosphere Composition Changes: European Network), EUSAAR (European stations for atmospheric aerosol research).
The Institute carries out expertise related to the environment pollution, nuclear power engineering as well as safety of nuclear objects and radioactive waste management technologies. The Institute of Physics is the member of the technical support organization of the State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) helping in preparing normative requirements for the analysis of transitional and emergency processes during decommissioning of the Ignalina NPP.