Beirut, National Museum

Q2915627

The National Museum of Beirut is one of the most interesting museums I have ever visited. The first surprise is the building itself, which is in some kind of Egyptian style. Inside, it is essentially a very big hall with lots of fine sculpture, surrounded by a gallery (on the first floor) with other types of ancient objects.

Among the highlights are a stela of Ramesses II from Tyre; the sarcophagus of king Ahirom (or Ahiram) of Byblos, with the oldest known inscription in Phoenician letters; a splendid Egyptian-looking colossus from the Hellenistic period, also from Byblos; several "thrones of Astarte"; a Persian-style column from Sidon; a beautifully sculpted, Hellenistic tribune from the sanctuary of Eshmun at Bustan esh-Sheikh; a fine bust of Septimius Severus; a third-century mosaic of the Seven Sages from Baalbek; some mosaics and several sarcophagi, including one with scenes from the final book of the Iliad.

In the gallery on the first floor, you will find all kinds of statuettes, weapons, and idols from Byblos; lots of jewelry; coins; a very fine Dionysus from Tyre; Byzantine carvings and some finds from the Islamic age. The last display contains some objects that were damaged during the Civil War. After all, the museum is built on what was once known as the Green Line: the frontier that divided Beirut. A badly damaged house, just northwest of the museum, is a reminder of the horrors.

It is quite a distance from the center of Beirut, so you need a taxi to go there. You need several hours to see all, and there is a nice bookshop. Across the street is a small restaurant, where we had some pizza and ayran.

This museum was visited in 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019.

94 pictures related to this museum

Tyre, Sarcophagus of Achilles: Washing the Body of Patroclus	Sidon, Bustan esh-Sheikh, Throne of Astarte	Periander	Beirut, Envy Mosaic
Tyre, Wall painting of a carrier	Beirut, Theater mask	Tyre, Sarcophagus of the Drunken Cupids, back	Coin from Byblos: Phoenician ship
Niha, Large temple, Builders' model	Tyre, Sarcophagus of Achilles: lions	Suweydie, Mosaic of the Seven Sages	Byblos, Statuette of Hathor
Beirut, Figurine of the Dioscuri	Tyre, Stele of Ramesses II and Ra-Horakhty	Coin from Byblos: Heracles-Melqart with the features of Alexander the Great	Byblos, Temple with the obelisks, Obelisk of Abi Chemou
Baalbek, Theater, Model	Beirut, Torso of a colossus	Byblos, Temple with the obelisks, Statuette of a deity	Chilon
Kamed el-Loz, Incense burner	Baalbek, Gold mask	Byblos, Chalcolithic burial	Byblos, mosaic with the abduction of Europa
Byblos, Statue of pharaoh Osorkon II	Byblos, Roman Nymphaeum, Statue of Hygeia	Byblos, Statuette of Bes	Byblos, Royal Tomb II (Ip-Chemou-Abi), Pectoral
Byblos, Royal Tomb V (Ahirom), Relief of a bull and griffin	Baalbek, Funerary wreath	Beirut, Relief of an eagle and a wreath	Byblos, Royal Tomb II (Ip-Chemou-Abi), Box with the name of pharaoh Amunemhet I
Suweydie, Mosaic of the Seven Sages, Summer and Mother Earth	Beirut, Medal of St. Catharine	Byblos, Temple with the obelisks, Sword, grip	Sidon, Capital of a Persian column
Sidon, Base of a Persian column	Beirut, Hellenistic wall painting (First Pompeian Style)	Byblos, Royal Tombs, Pectoral	Byblos, Statuette of a hippopotamus
Byblos, Royal Tomb II (Ip-Chemou-Abi), Pectoral	Beirut, Tyche	Sidon, Bustan esh-Sheikh, Statue of a baby	Sidon, Statue of a man
Beirut, Inscription mentioning Queen Berenice and King Agrippa II	Beirut, Statue of a Roman lady	Byblos, Statuettes of baboons	Sidon, Roman doll
Tyre, Head of Dionysus	Calliope	Bias	A murex shell
Byblos, Temple with the obelisks, Axe	Beirut, Roman colonnade (originally near the Place d'Etoile)	Tyre, Sarcophagus of Achilles: killing of a Trojan Captive	Byblos, Relief with a hieroglyphic text
Sidon, Figurine of Aphrodite	Tyre, Sarcophagus of the Drunken Cupids, front	Tyre, Sarcophagus with a Fighting Scene	Byblos, Temple with the obelisks, Sword
Niha, Roman altar, dedicated to a female deity (Fortuna), with two lions	Byblos, Phoenician funerary inscription	Sidon, Sarcophagus relief of Psyche	Sidon, Bronze Age bottle
Byblos, Royal Tomb II (Ip-Chemou-Abi), Pectoral (1)	Byblos, Royal Tomb V, Sarcophagus of Ahirom	Byblos, Royal Tomb I (Abi Chemou), Pot	Tyre, Phoenician statue
Beirut, Mercury or Hermes	Byblos, Royal Tomb V (Ahirom), Relief of king Ahirom on his throne	Pittacus	Byblos, Chalcolithic amulets
Solon	Sidon, Bustan esh-Sheikh, Relief of a horseman	Sidon, Bustan esh-Sheikh, Temple of Eshmun, foundation inscription	Tyre, Portrait of Septimius Severus
Thales	Tyre, Hellenistic throne of Astarte	Tyre, Statue of a female deity	Sidon, Coin with a triere
Sidon-Dakerman, Middle Bronze jar	Sidon, Sarcophagus relief of a boat	Byblos, Temple with the obelisks, Gold disk	Byblos, Inlay with Egyptian lotus flowers
Sidon, Phoenician statue	Byblos, Bull's head	A big lump, containing some inhomogenuous pieces of ancient glass	Tyre, Sarcophagus of Achilles: the Corpse of Hector.
Byblos, Hellenistic colossus	Byblos, mosaic with Silenus	Cleobulus	Sidon, Bustan esh-Sheikh, Tribune, Relief with Muses
Byblos, Royal Tomb I (Abi Chemou), Scimitar	Socrates