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

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