  We present ground-based images of the z=1.824 radio galaxy 3C 256 in the
standard BVRIJHK filters and an interference filter centered at 8800A, a Hubble
Space Telescope image in a filter dominated by Ly-alpha emission (F336W), and
spectra covering rest-frame wavelengths from Ly-alpha to [O III] 5007. Together
with published polarimetry observations, we use these to decompose the overall
spectral energy distribution into nebular continuum emission, scattered quasar
light, and stellar emission. The nebular continuum and scattered light together
comprise half (one third) of the V-band (K-band) light within a 4-arcsec
aperture, and are responsible for the strong alignment between the
optical/near-infrared light and the radio emission. The stellar emission is
dominated by a population estimated to be 100-200 Myr old (assuming a Salpeter
IMF), and formed in a short burst with a peak star formation rate of 1-4x10^3
Msun/yr. The total stellar mass is estimated to be no more than 2x10^{11} Msun,
which is far less than other luminous radio galaxies at similar redshifts, and
suggests that 3C 256 will undergo further star formation or mergers.
