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

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