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

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