18 Lectures and Discussions to Attend this Februrary

Warm up from the chilly weather with authors, scientists, artists, designers and others as they take the stage for nights of lectures, Q-and-A’s and meet-and-greets this February.

1. Explore the timeless appeal of the American West and the representations of cowbows of the early 20th century in paintings, sculptures and–of course–films at the Artistry and Evolution of the Hollywood Western Movie. When & Where: Sunday, Feb. 2, 3:45 p.m. at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

2. Join scientist Amy Mainzer as she explains how asteroids have interacted with our planet in the past and how they will affect Earth in the future. When & Where: Monday, Feb. 3, 7:30 at the American Museum of Natural History.

3. Chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times David E. Sanger and Richard N. Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations discuss President Obama’s present foreign policy challenges as well as future U.S. foreign policy makers. When & Where: Tuesday, Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m. at the New-York Historical Society.

4. Sit down with fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi and delve into the business of fashion. Fern Mallis, the award-winning creator of Fashion Week in New York hosts this series with fashion industry’s most talented personalities of today. When & Where: Tuesday, Feb. 4, 8 p.m. at the 92nd Street Y.

5. Historian Francis Morrone takes guests on a journey through the Gilded Age of New York and reveals the enduring friendship of Thomas Edison and Louis Comfort Tiffany. When & Where: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 6:30 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York.

6. Enjoy an evening of laughs when “The Office” star B.J. Novak launches his hilarious collection of daring, fresh stories based on true stories. When & Where: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m. at Symphony Space.

7. Network and mingle at the First Friday with free museum tours, live music and specially priced “leotinis” at Asia Society and Museum. This special First Friday also celebrates Lunar New Year. When & Where: Friday, Feb. 7, 6-9 p.m. at Asia Society and Museum.

Young People’s Chorus of New York City. S. Berger

8. Honor Black History Month with various artists whose unique voices are helping to define some of the country’s most dynamic cultural expressions. Guests include composer-pianist Samora Abayomi Pinderhughes; jazz master Delfeayo Marsalis, and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. When & Where: Saturday, Feb. 8, 12-5 p.m. at the American Museum of Natural History.

9. Catch a screening of The Abolitionists, part of the Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle series. When & Where: Tuesday, Feb. 11, 6:30-8 p.m. at the Brooklyn Historical Society.

10. Part of The Met Museum’s new Spark conversation series, Queen Seondeok to K-Pop, which focuses on the defining influence of Korean culture, brings playwright Young Jean Kim and Met curators of Silla: Korea’s Golden Kingdom. When & Where: Wednesday, Feb. 12, 6 p.m. at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

11. Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a one-of-a-kind New York City experience at the Hayden Planetarium to view the night sky and hear some of the greatest romance stories from the ancient celestial past. When & Where: Friday, Feb. 14, 6 p.m. at the American Museum of Natural History.

12. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Levering Lewis with Khalil Gibran Muhammad discuss life and work of W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the most prominent civil rights activists of the early 20th century. When & Where: Wednesday, Feb. 19, 6:30 p.m. at the New-York Historical Society.

13. Meet Emmy Award-winning writer and executive producer of HBO series “Sex and the City” Cindy Chupack whose latest book “The Longest Date: Life as a Wife” was released last month. When & Where: Monday, Feb. 3, 7 p.m. at the 92nd Street Y.

14. Watch as Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers and dance historian Doug Fullington present excerpts from the works of 19th-century French ballet master Marius Petipa. Two violinist accompany in this traditional rehearsal medium of 19-century St. Petersburg. When & Where: Sunday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m.; Monday, Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Guggenheim Museum.

15. Join National Book Award-winning author E. L. Doctorow for a reading from a selection of his works. Doctorow will be interviewed by Leonard Lopate. When & Where: Tuesday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m. at LeFrak Concert Hall at Kupferberg Center for the Arts.

16. Attend a free-form chat between Brooklynites Pat Kiernan of NY1 and Jake Dobkin, author of ever-popular Ask a Native New Yorker. When & Where: Wednesday, Feb. 26, 6:30 p.m. at the Brooklyn Historical Society.

17. To celebrate the centennial of the Women’s Suffrage Parade of 1913, the New-York Historical Society invites four experts to discuss past First Mothers who have influenced a nation. When & Where: Wednesday, Feb. 26, 6:30 p.m. at the New-York Historical Society.

18. Meet Hoda Kotb when she sits down with Jonathan M. Tisch, co-chairman of Loews Corporation and co-owner of the New York Giants, as they discuss perseverance, purpose and passion. When & Where: Wednesday, Feb. 26, 7:15 p.m. at the 92nd Street Y.