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

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