A.N. Scriabin Memorial Museum

Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915) was an innovative and controversial Russian pianist and composer.

In addition to developing his own atonal musical system based on mysticism, Scriabin developed a system of colors that correlates with the musical circle of fifths, with influences from theosophy and Isaac Newton. He invented the clavier à lumières, or light keyboard, to project colored lights during musical performances and it is featured in one of his most well-known compositions, Prometheus: Poem of Fire.

The Scriabin Memorial Museum has been open in the composer’s home in the Arbat district of Moscow since 1922 and maintains the home as it was in the last years of the composer’s life. It also houses a foundation dedicated to education and research, and hosts a musical competition to award scholarships. A working version of his color keyboard is kept at the museum, though the guide may refuse to play it if you aren’t sufficiently reverent.