An archaeological discovery of ‘great international significance’ has encouraged students across ranging disciplines to pool skills and collaborate with the museum for a multimedia exhibition open to the public now.

The year-long project has seen our BA (Hons) students from Graphic Design, Animation, Game Arts, Photography, Illustration and Film working with Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery for ‘Whitehorse Hill: A Prehistoric Dartmoor Discovery’.

The exhibition at the city centre museum features photographs of the discoveries and Dartmoor site, creative educational resources, as well as a virtually explorable landscape created by Game Arts students – and is open to members of the public now until December.

Karin Jordan, lecturer for Employability, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, was project manager. She said:

“It’s given our students the opportunity to use their creative practice skills to meet a live brief and work for a client, which develops their employability. They’ve gained experience of customer processes, managing deadlines, working as a team – and they end up with work they can show prospective employers.

“They’ve worked incredibly hard and we’re really pleased with the output. They’ve produced professional level work whilst still continuing their studies.”

Adam Milford, Learning Officer for Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, said: “The Plymouth College of Art student work has unlocked possibilities, creative solutions and technological advances beyond what we could achieve within our own resources in the museum.

“They’ve enhanced the museum's educational resources. All the work reinforces the strong links between the college and the museum and we are delighted to have opened up Heritage sector possibilities for the students concerned”

Fiona Pitt, Senior Curator & Curator of Archaeology at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, added: “Never would I have thought that a short conversation at a social occasion would lead to such fantastic outcomes for Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery working with Plymouth College of Art students on this project.

“I've been really heartened by the evident commitment of so many students to get the work completed, especially during the summer holidays in the run up to the exhibition install and launch.

“Students have been committed to the task in hand, demonstrated in the wonderful results that we have achieved. This is the first time the museum has developed an interactive computer game or produced motion graphic projections for the outside of the building.”

The students and college were also very grateful to receive sponsorship and support from Nick Weston and Clockwork Audio, a South West audio-visual company who were able to assist with funding the hiring of a high-tech projector for the exhibition.

Kari Jordan added: "We are delighted to have Clockwork Audio's support to complement our in-house technical equipment and advice, making the motion graphic projection possible.

Not only did Nick allow us to hire top class equipment but he was also generous with his guidance and advice – which our students greatly appreciated."

Explore Whitehorse Hill: A Prehistoric Dartmoor Discovery at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery until 13 December 2014.

Photographs by BA (Hons) Photography graduate Andy Ford and BA (Hons) Graphic Design student Tatsu Ishikawa.