Stamp designer Ethel Kessler will discuss the challenges of her work at the Postal Museum Saturday morning.

DCist’s guide to lectures and discussions in the D.C. area

Tuesday
>> The K Street Busboys hosts two events focused on issues related to President Barack Obama this week. First, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, author Tom Shachtman will discuss his book, Airlift to America: How Barack Obama, Sr., John F. Kennedy, Tom Mboya, and 800 East African Students Changed Their World and Ours. And, on Wednesday at 6 p.m., author Michael Huttner signs and discusses his book, 50 Ways You Can Help Obama Change America.

Wednesday
>> At 7 p.m., the Natural History Museum celebrates Darwin’s 200th birthday with a multimedia performance by “the singing Darwinian scholar,” Richard Milner, who in addition to singing about science in an array of musical styles, is also an associate in anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History and a contributing editor of Natural History magazine. $23.

Thursday
>> The Hirshhorn is holding two events this week celebrating the opening of their new Anne Truitt exhibit. Thursday’s 7 p.m. lecture will be moderated by Project Runway‘s Tim Gunn, a former student of Truitt’s. Artist Martin Puryear, filmmaker Jem Cohen, photographer John Gossage, and associate curator Kristen Hileman will join Gunn to discuss the artist’s work. The event is free, but will likely be popular, so show up early. They’ll start handing out tickets at 5:45 p.m. in the lobby. If you miss this talk and still want to hear about the artist (sans-Tim Gunn), be at the museum by 12:30 p.m. on Friday for a talk with Kristen Hileman.

>> If you can’t get tickets to Hirshhorn’s event, consider heading over to the American Indian Museum for the 7 p.m. lecture with Wes Studi, which is part of their Native Achievers Series. The Cherokee actor has been in more than 60 film and TV productions, including Dances with Wolves and The Last of the Mohicans, and is also a Vietnam veteran, sculptor, musician, author and activist.