The Diocesan Women's School in Perm was founded in the late 19th century and operated until the early 20th century. During this time, such educational institutions began to open in Russia, preparing teachers for church parish schools, primarily from the families of clergy. Perm was no exception, and on December 12, 1889, a decree was issued to establish the school. A one-story stone building, previously owned by the widow of Colonel Penninsky, was purchased for it, located at the corner of Solikamskaya and Petropavlovskaya streets, which had previously housed a free mail station.

The building was expanded and a second floor was added according to the design of architect A. B. Turchevich. Nearby was the house of Protopopova, the owner of coal mines, who rented it to the excise management but agreed to cede it for the needs of the school.

On September 16, 1891, the Diocesan School was ceremoniously opened, and three years later, a chapel was consecrated in the name of Saints Sophia, Faith, Hope, and Love. Lyubov Vasilyevna Pervushina was the first and only head of the school from its opening until its closure in 1918.

The curriculum was diverse, including both natural sciences and humanities. For the pedagogical practice of the students, a wooden one-story house with a mezzanine was built at the corner of Pokrovskaya and Solikamskaya streets, where a church parish school was located, taught by senior students.

After the October Revolution, the school was closed, and technical schools were established in its buildings. During World War II, from 1942, the old building housed a hospital for the disabled. In 1945, the building, which was expanded with a third floor, became home to a choreographic school created on the basis of the evacuated Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet named after S. M. Kirov from Leningrad, now known as the Mariinsky Theater.