The aim of this article is to highlight the scientific practices of a range of ‘invisible technicians’ in order to provide a more complete understanding of the history of the National Archaeological Museum, in Portugal. At the meeting point of people, objects and knowledge, the history of its collections reveals the existence of local contexts and hitherto unknown individuals who were part of global communication networks. Thus there is a need for reassessing what is currently seen as the dominant role of a small number of actors at the national level. In the process of the construction of collections of archaeological objects, we argue that the scientific practices of local landowners, information providers and the many private collectors should be taken into account and their knowledge assigned due importance.

Key-words:
National museums, archaeology, history of collections, history of museums, invisible actors, objects biography, collective wisdom