In the 1830s, Moscow University faced a shortage of space, and in 1832, Emperor Nicholas I ordered the acquisition of a plot with two houses opposite the Main Building of the university. In the 16th century, this plot may have been part of Ivan the Terrible's Oprichnina court. A small one-story building with a semi-basement remains from it, where the printing house of the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University is now located.

In the late 17th century, the plot belonged to the Pashkov family, in particular, P.E. Pashkov, the son of Peter I's attendant. Architect Bazhenov built several buildings for them on Mokhovaya Street, including the famous Pashkov House. At the corner of Mokhovaya and Nikitskaya Streets, Pashkov began construction of a palace for balls, but it remained unfinished for almost 40 years. By 1832, it had no windows, doors, or stoves. Nicholas I ordered its purchase for the university, and the building became known as the Auditorium Building. Since 1970, it has housed the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University.

Architect E.D. Tyurin was appointed to reconstruct the Pashkov Palace for the needs of the university. In 1835, the Auditorium Building was opened, and in the 19th century, renowned professors from the historical-philological and law faculties delivered lectures there. The upper floor housed a mechanical cabinet, later renamed the Applied Mechanics Cabinet, headed by N.E. Zhukovsky. One of the world's first wind tunnels stood on the balustrade, destroyed in 1941. The second floor housed the oldest Mathematical Society in Europe.

From 1833 to 1837, the building of the estate to the left of the Auditorium Building, which previously housed a riding school and then a theater, was reconstructed. It was repurposed for the university church of St. Tatiana. The church's decoration and the painting by Italian artist Lanjilotto were lost during the Soviet era.

In the university church, students and professors bid farewell to outstanding figures in science and culture. T.N. Granovsky and S.M. Solovyov were laid to rest here, farewells were held for A.G. Stoletov and N.S. Tikhonravov, and the coffin with the body of N.V. Gogol was carried out from here.

The church was closed in 1918, and in 1922, a club opened here. In 1958, actress Alexandra Yablochkina opened the Student Theater of Moscow State University here. Director M. Rozovsky and actors I. Savina, A. Demidova, and others began their careers here.

In 1993, the community of the Church of St. Tatiana was restored, and on January 25, 1995, on Tatiana's Day, the church was consecrated again.

From 1901 to 1904, the Auditorium Building was reconstructed by architect K.M. Bykovsky. The building received a new entrance, a glass dome over the grand staircase, and two additional floors. The facade and interior spaces were altered. The building retained this form until its reconstruction after World War II.

Since 1919, the Auditorium Building housed the Workers' Faculty of Moscow State University, and later the Faculty of Social Sciences, which was reorganized into the Historical-Ethnological Faculty and the Faculty of Law.

During World War II, the building was damaged by bombing. In 1942-1943, architect S.A. Toropov oversaw the restoration, restoring the cast-iron fence according to E.D. Tyurin's design.

After the construction of new buildings, some faculties of Moscow State University moved to Lenin Hills, and since 1970, the Faculty of Journalism has been located in the Auditorium Building.

The first monument to M.V. Lomonosov was unveiled in front of the Auditorium Building in 1877 but was damaged during the bombing in 1941. A new monument was erected in 1957 and still exists today.