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

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