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