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