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

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