The opening of Witte Hall at the Newport Beach Central Library marks the completion of a long-planned addition to the city’s civic campus. For years, popular lectures, author presentations and cultural programs frequently exceeded the capacity of the library’s original multipurpose space. To build a dedicated venue, the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation partnered with the city in a public-private funding effort, anchored by a major lead gift from Bill Witte and his wife, Keiko Sakamoto.

The new 299-seat facility stands on the Central Library and Civic Center campus — land deeded by Irvine Company.

Designed for lectures, musical performances and community gatherings, the nearly 10,000-square-foot venue features tiered seating, advanced acoustics and an expanded outdoor event courtyard. Inaugural opening celebrations featured a lineup of community presentations, including a keynote talk by former world champion surfer Shaun Tomson. With its completion, Witte Hall provides the library foundation and local organizations with a space for educational and cultural programming.

For more information, visit https://libraryfoundationnb.org/programs/wittelectures/