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