National Museum of Beirut

National Museum of Beirut

Established in 1937, the National Museum of Beirut is Lebanon’s most important archaeological museum. After World War I, the museum began amassing a large collection of archaeological artifacts, and now houses 100,000 items from various periods, including the prehistoric period, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Hellenistic period, the Roman period, the Byzantine period, and the Mamluk period.

Currently, the museum displays only restored and catalogued artifacts, primarily stone sarcophagi, sculptures, and mosaics from the Phoenician, Persian, Greek, and Roman eras. These works feature exquisite craftsmanship and elegant designs. Notable examples include the 8th-century BC sarcophagus of King Ahiram unearthed in Byblos, the limestone statue of the god of health Resheph, stone anchors, a children's tomb from Tyre, 5th–4th century BC sarcophagi and Phoenician children's statues from Sidon, and the 3rd-century AD “Seven Sages” mosaic from Baalbek. The National Museum of Beirut also preserves artifacts from various historical periods, such as Phoenician hieroglyphs — the world’s earliest known alphabet — along with numerous statues and precious jade objects.

National Museum of Beirut

Why Go: Lebanon’s most important archaeological museum

Continent: Asia【Asia】

Country/Region: Lebanon

Province/State: Beirut Governorate

City: Beirut