Byblos, eternal city: explore the historic city with the exhibition at the Arab World Institute.

The Arab World Institute is offering us an exceptional exhibition from March 24 to August 23, 2026. An exhibition on one of the oldest cities in the world, an exhibition that brings together priceless objects and works of art, an exhibition that presents unique and recent archaeological discoveries from the Middle East.

The Institute presents Byblos, an eternal city, founded in Lebanon more than 8,900 years ago. Byblos was the world's first international seaport, linking the Egypt of the pharaohs, Mesopotamia, and the Aegean, Roman, and Phoenician civilizations. This city overlooking the Mediterranean played a major role in trade—particularly the trade in cedar wood—but also in culture and knowledge.

During the Bronze Age, 9,000 years ago, this small fishing port gradually grew to become one of the most important city-states of antiquity. For more than 2,000 years, Byblos was one of the Mediterranean's main ports, an essential stopover for traders from the region's great civilizations.

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Several millennia of life, change, and cultural mixing have left their mark:the IMAexhibition unveils 400 exceptional works, some of which were unearthed during very recent archaeological excavations. The Obelisk of Abishemou, the mosaic of the abduction of Europa, treasures from the royal necropolis, objects from temples dating back to the 2nd millennium BC, gold and silver tableware, jewelry and precious stones, weapons, mirrors, bronze and earthenware figurines...

In a spectacular scenography that pays tribute to the city's wealth, the museum highlights its many treasures. The various objects and works of art illustrate the passage of centuries and the influence of different civilizations on the city of Byblos. Greeks, Egyptians, Phoenicians: the interplay of power and money, the blending of cultures can be seen in the materials used, the craft techniques or the specific shapes.

The exhibition also features some very recent and invaluable archaeological discoveries, never before shown to the general public. On display is a miraculously intact Bronze Age necropolis (circa 1800 BC), which housed the tombs of the kings of Byblos, Abi-Shemou and Yapi-Shemou-Abi.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Byblos is an ancient city, witness to the changes and great civilizations of our world. Byblos is also one of Lebanon's most populous and active cities, a modern city that still hides secrets and treasures from its past... We can't wait to discover it thanks to theexhibition at the Institut du Monde Arabe!