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

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