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

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