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

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