Nuhad Es-Said Pavilion for Culture-National Museum of Beirut

The Nuhad Es-Said Pavilion for Culture, whose official inauguration was scheduled for September 18, 2024, has chosen to open its doors to visitors and remain accessible to audiences wishing to discover its spaces, its Pavilion Café and its inaugural exhibition designed and organized by the Beirut Museum of Art (BeMA).

Together with the National Museum of Beirut, and in the face of the unimaginable violence, destruction, and suffering being inflicted upon our country, the pavilion stands as a space of support, influence, and continuity to culture and heritage. It welcomes all those seeking to gather in a place fully dedicated to art and thought - a space for breathing and reflection- however momentary and symbolic this may be.

The inaugural exhibition Portals and Pathways, A Journey Through Reality and Imagination, conceived and curated by BeMA, embodies its true and primary objective: opening doors and creating passages to immerse the public in a journey through culture and imagination. Today, it is more than ever a testament to the strength, richness, and diversity of artistic practices in Lebanon, instilling in every visitor a sense of pride and a glimmer of hope. Far beyond what we had imagined, this exhibition stands as a benevolent and silent bridge connecting people, and shielding them against time.

Since March 2024, we have spent time and effort to bring to life a space and inhabit it with culture, with the sole purpose of offering the Lebanese a meaningful experience. At a time when our country is being bombarded daily, our people are suffering, our land is being ravaged and entire families are being displaced, the doors of this pavilion and those of the National Museum of Beirut remain open to guarantee the continuity of Lebanon's cultural heritage.

Today, staying open is a way to defend and preserve the links and the places that bind us to the present and the future, as well as all the cultural practices and professions associated with them. Indeed let us not forget, that it is not just objects that are at risk, but entire creative and cultural ecosystems that shape thought, as much as all the individuals who embody and nurture these aspirations of transformation and hope; it is mainly for them, that we keep our doors open, at their request and that of the public’s.

Practical Information on The Nuhad Es-Said Pavilion for Culture