When you're a college student in New York City for the summer, the night is always young, but it felt particularly so Friday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the 18- to 22-year-old set assembled for a viewing of Jeff Koons's giant heart and puppy dog sculptures on the roof, followed by a screening of a film written by Dr. Seuss, "The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T," a fantastical story about a boy, a plumber, and an evil piano teacher.

"It sounded weirder than anything else we were thinking of doing," a senior at Cornell University, Pat Maloney, who is working at SummerStage this summer, said.

The event was organized by the museum's College Group, a committee of 20 college students from across the country. It is one of many the committee will offer this year to "make the Met a college-friendly environment and assure students that they can be stewards of the museum," a committee member, Jeremiah McCarthy, who graduated from Hunter College this year and is an intern at the museum, said.

As if Dr. Seuss and Mr. Koons weren't enough of a draw, Mr. McCarthy noted that the Costume Institute's "Superheroes" exhibit, with its glossy floors and bright colors, "is made for college students." But he also likes to direct friends to the less-trafficked permanent galleries, such as the ones featuring Oceanic art.

A group of Brigham Young University students came because there's nothing like the Met back home; one couple called this their "'Sex and the City' date."

A psychology major at Pace, Eve Blackman, spoke for most of her peers when she gave her reasons for attending: "It's good to broaden your horizons and not just go to a bar."

agordon@nysun.com