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

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