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

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