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

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