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

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