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