The Exploring Brighton gallery and Images of Brighton gallery are the local history galleries in Brighton Museum and Art Gallery. The galleries should be viewed in association with each other as they represent two very different sides of the City.

Exploring Brighton questions the commonly held perceptions of the city and is divided into four themes:

• Living in Brighton looks at the city's growth and the social impact of its expansion. We see that behind the grandeur of the Regency seafront and Pavilion Estate, Brighton too has its share of poverty and depravation.

• Working in Brighton demonstrates that not everyone in Brighton works in the tourist industry. A variety of ways to make a living are examined from street traders to light industry.

• Time to Yourself shows some of the ways Brightonians spend their leisure-time. Whilst piers and amusements are primarily the tourist's domain, Brighton also has its share of sports, pubs, gardens, cinemas and theatres.

• Banding Together examines how Brightonians form their own identities through religious groups, schools, societies and associations. It looks at how these identities add to the diversity of Brighton's communities and in turn, how Brighton promotes its own reputation.

See objects on display in Exploring Brighton gallery