In this paper I study Sámi museum history and the impacts of national borders to Sámi museum practices and development of all-Sámi museology. By safeguarding Sámi cultural heritage and building Sámi-based representations the Sámi museums have been a key counter force to the states’ assimilation policies. In 1976, the Sámi cross-border political institution Sámi Council set up a Sámi Museum Board to evaluate the current situation of Sámi museums and plan their future. In its report the Board emphasizes the importance of museums for Sámi nation building and social development and suggested extensive cross-border collaboration aiming to create Sámi museology. In contrary to the plan, the later development has taken the Sámi museums to different paths in Finland, Norway and Sweden and bound them rather to the national museum frameworks than to cross-border Sámi collaboration.