Tucked into the Zokak el-Blat quarter, this private museum is housed in the former mansion of the politician Henri Pharaon. He filled it over decades with Islamic ceramics, Roman glass, ornate Ottoman cabinets, antique weapons, and stacks of Persian carpets; after his death the jeweller Robert Mouawad bought the house and added his own collections.
The result is gloriously eclectic — closer to a wealthy collector's home than a curated museum. Each room is themed and densely packed. The building itself, with its painted ceilings and tile floors, is worth the entry on its own. Often quiet, and easily combined with a walk through downtown.