Calls for repatriating museum objects have increased considerably in recent years. The EU-funded SciCoMove project will study the history of scientific collections in palaeontology, anthropology, botany and related applied sciences. Drawing on the most recent historiography of science and scientific collections, the project shifts focus from major to smaller museums to demonstrate a more complex, less centralised and less hierarchical vision of international scientific exchanges. Ultimately, SciCoMove will provide a more accurate account of the many dimensions of science-collecting practices and multilateral contacts between Europe and Latin America. The generated knowledge on objects provenance will enable museums to better respond to social demands, especially concerning repatriation, and help scientists make better use of historical collections in their research.