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