Marina Boguslavskaya talked about the work of philanthropist and public figure Nikolai Smetskoy (1852–1931), who made a significant contribution to the scientific, economic and cultural development of Abkhazia. Thanks to his efforts, the Gulripsh Sanatorium and the Sukhum Arboretum were established. The researcher suggested that this model of patronage, characteristic of the 19th and early 20th centuries, can be applied in contemporary Abkhazia to preserve and enhance its cultural heritage.