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

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