Toward the end of his life, Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wanted a quiet place to work outside the hubbub of Moscow. He lived in this country home in the Russian town of Klin from 1892 until his death in 1895, and here he wrote and edited some of his finest work, including The Nutcracker, 18 piano pieces, and his last major work, the 6th Symphony.

When he was not working, Tchaikovsky would read, entertain guests, stroll through the garden and surrounding forest, gather mushrooms, and tend to the garden. In the latter half of his life, the composer was drawn to spending time more time surrounded by nature than urban, city life. 

Tchaikovsky’s cozy country home and lush garden have since been converted into a museum. The house is filled with pictures of the most beloved people in Tchaikovsky’s life. Above his writing desk is a picture of Anton Rubenstein, the founder of the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music and Tchaikovsky’s first teacher of instrumentation and composing. Just below is a picture of Beethoven.