National Museum of Beirut — Attraction in Mazraa

The National Museum of Beirut is the principal museum of archaeology in Lebanon. The collection begun after World War I, and the museum was officially opened in 1942. The museum has collections totaling about 100,000 objects, most of which are antiquities and medieval finds from excavations undertaken by the Directorate General of Antiquities. About 1300 artifacts are exhibited, ranging in date from prehistoric times to the medieval Mamluk period. During the 1975 Lebanese Civil War, the museum stood on the front line that separated the warring factions. The museum's Egyptian Revival building and its collection suffered extensive damage in the war, but most of the artifacts were saved by last-minute preemptive measures. Today, after a major renovation, the National Museum of Beirut has regained its former position, especially as a leading collector for ancient Phoenician objects. Entrance: 5000 L.L. (Free for students, people under 18 years of age & military and law...

Whenever you visit a new city.. especially a capital city.. you should always visit the National Museum. It’s the best way to understand the history and soul of the place. In Beirut, the National Museum is exactly that: a window into Lebanon’s rich past.

This was honestly an awesome experience. The entry price was affordable, and everything inside was well-organized and full of deep history.

One of the best parts was the official museum app.. I downloaded it, and it guided me through the museum with detailed stories about every statue, artifact, and ancient stone. It even explained the history of the museum itself, including how it was damaged during the Lebanese Civil War, and how they restored it and brought it back to life.

You can feel the resilience and beauty of Lebanese history as you walk through it. The whole experience was rich, moving, and very well done.

✅ Affordable ✅ Educational ✅ Emotional and powerful ✅ Must-visit if...

Pretty decent for a Middle-Easters museum - spacious and well-lit. All artefacts are signposted in three languages, but the text is quite basic and gives little-to-no context; it is best to first visit some actual sites like Byblos and Baalbek, and only then come here to see the after acts that were dug out of them. Don't expect too much, though - all they have are static displays. Make sure you don't miss the basement (the entrance to it is behind the main staircase). Double-check the opening times before going (Google seems to have them correct right now - from 10 AM to 2 PM only). The entry is just 5,000 LL (3.50 USD on the "official" rate or 0.15 USD on the market rate). Allow two hours to see everything. Photography is allowed without flash. Restrooms are available on the basement floor, but were locked when I visited; locked out without explanation was also the...