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