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

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