The Smolny Institute was founded as the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens (ie a finishing school) in 1764 by Empress Catherine the Great next to the Smolny Convent. Work on its main building was started in the 1790s and finished in 1806. It consists of a classical style building featuring a façade decorated with columns. In 1917 Lenin took over the building and used it as his headquarters up until the capital was moved back to Moscow. The building then became the headquarters of the local Communist Party. Since 1991 the building has housed the Administration of St Petersburg and as such it is not open to the public.

Just outside the main building is a statue of Vladimir Lenin and in the gardens in front of this there are also statues of Marx and Engels.