An exhibition exploring the impact of human life on the landscape over thousands of years opens today at Keighley's Cliffe Castle Museum.

The permanent display, called Working Landscapes, has been developed thanks to a £600,000 hand-out from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the project.

The exhibition explores all areas of human life, even delving into the murkier side of everyday living.

It explores 19th century toilets and drainage with a display of sanitary wares made at Clayton Fire Clay Works.

A feature of the displays is new interactive computers and cine films which, along with unique archaeological finds, tell the story of the landscape from prehistoric times to the modern day.

Among the exhibits are flint tools made by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers.

And a computer-aided virtual tour around Rombalds Moor focuses on the site of prehistoric carved rocks with their famous 'cup and ring' designs.

Visitors can trace how settlements changed with the growth of population and industry, which peaked in the 19th century.

The exhibition also covers the impact of the industrial revolution in the 1850s on local industries, such as the nail-making industry of Silsden.

Local crafts, such as clog iron making, are also explored.

Councillor Ann Hawkesworth, Bradford Council's executive member for environment, said: "This is a very exciting exhibition which will tell us more about how our landscape has become what it is today."

The revamp also includes a major overhaul of the multi-purpose activity/education room, which can be used by booked groups and schools for hands-on learning with items from the museum collection.

The museum, in Spring Gardens Lane, is open 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday and from noon to 5pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

l Two new temporary exhibitions are also running - Celebrations and Bollywood Photographs.