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