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