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