Local and Social History

Browse objects from the Local History collection

Browse objects from the Archaeology collection

Comprising about three quarters of a million items, from photographic collections and archaeological artefacts to oral histories, Brighton & Hove Museums’ comprehensive local history collections are as diverse as they are extensive.

The collections include 250,000 photographs in the form of prints, negatives and slides and 22,000 prints and watercolours. These are supported by over 6,000 pamphlets and printed ephemera, 1,300 maps; and 1,200 volumes of bound local newspapers. Together these form a substantial archive, revealing the social, political and cultural development of Brighton, Hove and the surrounding regions.

The collections’ importance extends well beyond their regional significance, however; to scholars and historians of British architectural, social and cultural history, they form a major national research tool.

Seaside development

Brighton's development as the UK's premier seaside resort is represented by a significant collection of objects, records and personal testimonies relating to the resort industries across the centuries. The collection not only tells the tale of Brighton's rise to pre-eminence, but also marks the wider popularisation and democratisation of the British seaside.

Items include early souvenir wares and seaside ephemera, plus a substantial collection documenting the first great Victorian pleasure promenade: Sir Samuel Brown's ill-fated 1823 Chain Pier.

Also of interest is a fascinating collection of costume, portraits, books and curiosities relating to the pioneering Indian businessman Sake Dean Mahomed, ‘Shampooing Surgeon’ to King George IV.

Social and Economic History

Wider aspects of the city's social and economic history are represented by everyday Brighton-based objects acquired from local people and collectors through the ages. These range in scope and significance from a complete kitchen unit from Embassy Court (Wells Coates’s pioneering modernist seafront development), to the football shirt worn by Brighton & Hove Albion goal scorer Gary Stevens during the 1983 FA cup final.

Photographic collections

These date from the late 1850s and show the changing landscape of Brighton. Highlights include examples of the work of local Victorian studio photographers, architectural views from the late 1920s to the early 1970s, and a large collection of original postcards.

Although concentrated on views of Brighton, the photographic collections also document some fascinating episodes in history, such as the Royal Pavilion's use as a military hospital during the First World War. The collections also contain some unusual curiosities, such as a unique collection of spirit photographs by the infamous 19th century medium, William Eglinton.

Local History galleries

Today key items from the collections are exhibited in special local history galleries at both Brighton Museum and Hove Museum.

Brighton Museum dedicates two spaces to local and social history.

Images of Brighton examines the popular public identity of Brighton, and explores how, throughout its history, it has gained a reputation as a tolerant and fashionable resort destination.
Exploring Brighton challenges commonly held perceptions about the city, looking behind the tourist facade at its social, religious and civic functions.

Brighton History Centre, located within the museum, is a one-stop shop for those who want to explore the museum’s collections, as well as research local, social and family history.

Hove Museum’s Local History gallery traces the growth of Hove and Portslade from prehistoric times to the present day. Chronological displays document major periods in the area's historical development from the Roman settlement at West Blatchington to the rapid expansion of Victorian and 20th century Hove.