American University of Beirut

The American University of Beirut is one of the Middle East's most prestigious educational institutes, and its campus and the surrounding Ras Beirut and Hamra areas are a hive of activity during semesters. The university is privately owned, nonsectarian and teaches all classes in English - hence the local students wandering around the Hamra district conversing in English as often as Arabic. Both the museum and the campus grounds are open to the public and are definitely worth a look.

Spread over 28 hectares, the beautiful, tree-shaded campus runs from Rue Bliss down to the sea and even has its own beach club for the summer months. But the stately charms of the campus did not save it from the ugliness of the civil war, with various kidnappings and murders of university staff, including the ninth president of the university, Dr Malcolm Kerr, who was assassinated outside his College Hall office in 1984. Today it's tranquil, green and filled with milling students; check out the What's On section of the university's website (www.aub.edu) to sample a taste of campus life.