Beirut attractions

Considered to be one of the most impressive private collections of minerals in the world, Mim Mineral Museum Beirut (Mim Musée des Minéraux Beyrouth) boasts a display of over 1,400 valuable finds. You’ll see fine examples of jewels, precious metals, and even marine fossils and radioactive minerals, all organized by room.

From Roman relics to rooftop bars, from elegant mosques to designer stores, from bullet-pocked ruins to glitzy restaurants, downtown Beirut (Beirut Central District) is a study in contrasts. Archaeological museums, art galleries, and Mediterranean vistas offer much, but for many the focus will remain on food, drink, and fun in this sophisticated and diverse city.

One of Beirut’s main streets, Hamra Street (Rue Hamra, or simply Hamra) is the epicenter of the neighborhood of the same name and was a cultural hub during the 1960s and ’70s. While its nightlife glory days are behind it and the economic crisis has hit it hard, it still offers a wealth of cafés, stores, and pubs.

In the headquarters of Banque du Liban, Lebanon’s central bank, the Banque du Liban Museum (Musée de la Banque du Liban) is a money museum, devoted to the history of currency. The collection runs from coins dating back to the Phoenicians to interactive games such as seeing what your weight in gold is worth. There’s also a small gift shop.