We all enjoy wandering around a museum, examining the artefacts and imagining what life would have been like for the people in history that used them. But some West Herts College BTEC art foundation students have taken this fascination one step further and created artworks inspired by the collection at Watford Museum.

The students’ brief was to create pieces that respond to and interact with the permanent collection at the museum, and the result is an exhibition entitled Future Collections.

In all works there are references from the past and present and the students have interpreted such things as life forms, technology, religion, society, architecture and furniture, imagining the resultant artworks as future exhibits themselves.

Gabriella Durant is one of the students who took part. She uses photography to recreate historical paintings, transferring the photos onto textiles. Her piece is on display near the museum’s early process camera in the printing gallery, acting as a reference to the changes in technology over time.

“Exhibiting amongst historical objects from the town I was born in is one of the most bizarre experiences I have probably ever had!” she says. “I’ve been coming to Watford Museum since I was small so exhibiting here has been a huge honour.”

  • Future Collections is at Watford Museum, Lower High Street, Watford, until Saturday, June 13. Details: 01923 232297, watfordmuseum.org.uk