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

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