In February 1834, the nobles of Tambov province gathered for the first time at a general meeting to elect officials to the provincial offices, taking advantage of the privilege granted by Emperor Nicholas I. Wishing to commemorate this event, they decided to establish an educational institution for girls in Tambov, an institute for noble maidens.

At the suggestion of the provincial leader of the nobility, Alexander Olenin, it was unanimously decided at meetings on February 5 and 7 to establish an institute for the education of 12 noble maidens, daughters of the poorest nobles in the province, primarily orphans, one from each district. Education and maintenance were to be free, and the necessary funds were planned to be raised through private donations.

In 1836, Emperor Nicholas I visited Tambov, supporting the nobility's initiative and gifting the institute the estate of the old governor's house. Although the main building was dilapidated, it still stood on a high hill overlooking the Tsna River. The emperor commissioned court architect Alexander Pavlovich Bryullov to develop a plan and estimate for construction, so that the building would become an ornament of the provincial center.

Construction began in 1839 and was completed in 1843. The two-story stone building of the institute faces Bolshaya-Dvortsovaya Street (now Soviet Street) and has a strict composition. The elongated window openings with concise framing emphasize the building's slenderness. A one-story wing adjoined the main building, and behind it was a garden extending to the Tsna River, where a bathing area was arranged.

The interiors of the building were well organized, with high ceilings and spacious corridors, which contributed to the cultivation of manners among the maidens. In 1875, a three-story wing was added to the northern side of the main building, and in the early 20th century, a chapel was consecrated in honor of Saint Martyr Queen Alexandra of Rome.

In 1918, the institute was closed, and its building was used by various educational institutions. From 1932, it housed Railway School No. 51, which used the park for walks and sports events. During the war, the building served as a hospital, and after the war, it was transferred to the Tambov State Pedagogical Institute. It now houses the Medical Institute of Tambov State University named after Derzhavin.