Beit Beirut museum's “Tell Me, South” exhibition attracts over 7,200 visitors

The Beit Beirut museum in Beirut’s Sodeco district opened the “Tell Me, South” exhibition on 10 May. Curated to portray South Lebanon through family photographs, testimonies and personal stories, the show was assembled in haste, with the decision to launch made only three weeks before opening while the region was still feeling the effects of recent conflict.

Within six weeks the exhibition drew more than 7,200 visitors, far exceeding organisers’ expectations. Attendees left over 130 written messages, 90 drawings and hundreds of stories that have been incorporated into the display. Organisers reported no negative reactions. The first phase will conclude at the start of August, after which the museum will pause for a summer break and assess the show’s impact before scheduling a September continuation.

Executive director Delphine Abi Rached said the project was the cultural sector’s “only response” to the situation in the South and noted that early concerns about audience reception proved unfounded, with the public embracing the exhibition’s focus on memory and resilience.