Beirut, National Museum

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

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