  In this review I will describe a number of recent advances in extragalactic
astronomy. First of all I will describe our current best estimates of the star
formation history of the Universe. Then I will describe measurements of local
galaxies and their stellar populations, concentrating on measurements of the
luminosity functions and stellar population compositions of the different kinds
of galaxies. Finally, I will investigate the relationship between these two
sets of results. The ultimate aim is to tell at what stage in the history of
the Universe the different stars seen in the local galaxies formed. At present
much is known but there are significant uncertainties and I will highlight some
prospects for the future.
