During the two decades of war that Lebanon suffered, the National Museum was badly damaged.

Nevertheless, during quick periods, the eminent archeologist, Emir Maurice Chéhab, managed to protect famous sarcophagi, statues, mosaics and the museum's major pieces by covering them with concrete blocks or hiding them in the Museum’s basement.

After the war, in 1991, the Museum's facade was disfigured and the entire place looked like a battleground.
Designed to stand as a proud witness of our nation's glorious history, it carried the scars of pillage, vandalism and
destruction.

The restoration and refitting of Beirut National Museum called for considerable funds. As of 1995, the Ministry of
Culture/Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA) started the refurbishment of the building and deployed important efforts to rehabilitate these national monuments.

In 1996, the National Heritage Foundation focused its efforts on this project and worked on rehabilitating the
National Museum.

The Foundation started in November 1996 by launching fund raising campaigns:
• The making and distribution of a video film “Défi à l’oubli” showing the deterioration of the museum premises as well
as the statues and artifacts hidden in the museum basement during the war.
• The organization of Museum concerts. The concert by Joelle Zeeni (soprano) on December 21, 1996, the flute concert
of Jean-Pierre Rampal and Claudi Arimani on April 26, 1997 and a poetry evening by Geneviève Page on September 25, 1997.

The donations received during 1997 as well as the museum concerts’ proceedings allowed the financing of the following:
• The restoration of the interior of the premises as well as the majority of the artifacts and statues.
• The financing of several foreign expertise missions.
• Various foreign study missions, the most important being that of Jean-Michel Wilmotte for a new museography study of the National Museum.
• The pedestals of the large artifacts.
• The garden design.
• The installation of glass doors.
• The creation of the “Boutique du Musée”, Museum Gift Shop.

On November 25, 1997, His Excellency, The President of the Lebanese Republic, Mr. Elias Haraoui, inaugurated the
Museum ground floor and part of the basement.

A commemorative plaque, showing the names of the main donors, was mounted on this occasion.
This reopening was warmly received by the Lebanese people and made the museum a “must-see” touristic and
cultural spot. In 1998, the year Beirut was claimed the cultural Capital of the Arab world, the Museum recorded
50,000 entries over a period of 8 months.

On July 15, 1998, the Museum was momentarily closed due to the second phase of restoration, which consisted of:
redoing the first floor, display cabinets, pedestals, installing air-conditioning, lifts, sound-proofing, water-proofing,
security and building the extension of the Museum Gift Shop.


On October 8, 1999, the museum was officially reopened under the patronage of His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Emile Lahoud represented by His Excellency Mr. Mohamad Youssef Beydoun,
Minister of Culture and Higher Education.

The total cost of the restoration of the National Museum reached five and a half million U. S. Dollars, out of which
four and a half million U. S. Dollars were donations to the National Heritage Foundation.

The Government’s participation helped accomplish this significant project.