The museum survived as a series of temporary exhibitions and workshops until it reopened in the Crossroads Mall in 2014. The move to the mall was always meant to be temporary, a way to remind people that the museum was still around until it could find a permanent home, said former board chairman James Beatty.

And it served its purpose, Smith said. Though business at Crossroads has plummeted in recent years, Smith said white shoppers who might not have otherwise known about the museum stopped in to take a look.

But Ewing and the board are confident that, given time, the new space will become a destination location, drawing visitors from all parts, the way other nearby ventures have.

“It’s back where it belongs,” said City Councilman Ben Gray, who represents north Omaha. “I’m excited it’s coming back. I think there’s great opportunities for increased tourism and involvement in the community.”

And though Ewing and the board are excited at the idea of attracting a wide audience, their primary focus right now is re-establishing a strong, tactile presence in north Omaha.