Since I am on holiday this week, my mystery object is not from the museum, but from home (albeit from last June). I got a bit of a shock when I pulled shut the bedroom curtains and found this staring back at me:
Body approx. 2cm long
After my initial surprise I took a photo, then caught it and popped it out of my window – taking care not to get bitten, since this spider has a painful (but harmless) bite.
Any idea what this beautiful beastie might be? Put your suggestions below and I will try to answer any questions when the opportunity arises. Good luck!
Zygoma 
Looks like a bit like a Stone Spider (Drassodes lapidosus)
Bloody biologists.
lol, moan, moan :-p
Male or female?
Female, given the size (if you say 2 cm), and abdomen looking engorged and ready to spill some eggs by the looks of it.
I’ve no idea, but if we find one in our house can you get round here sharpish? Ta.
No problem. Just don’t goad it before I get there.
It’s a spider
There’s always one – or in this instance two; Evil Jim O’Donnell has already done the spider thing via Twitter!
Looks like a lace spider – I got nipped by one like this (it was a bit darker in colour though) and panicked so much I looked it up on the web! And yes, it hurt… panic due to having lived for 5 years in Australia!