The Louvre, home to the Mona Lisa, closed abruptly Monday as the museum's staff staged an impromptu strike over large crowds of tourists and understaffing.

The Paris museum has become a symbol of tourism pushed to its limits. Workers point to unmanageable crowds, chronic understaffing and what one union called “untenable” working conditions.

Thousands of tourists were left stranded outside the Louvre in Paris on Monday, as it was forced to shut down. What went wrong? It’s staff decided to go on strike

In the wake of that growing movement, workers at the Louvre reportedly spontaneously decided to walk out during a standard staff meeting on Monday, per the AP. Gallery attendants, ticket takers, and security all refused to operate their posts, complaining that the crowds have become unmanageable and the museum is understaffed.

A spontaneous strike at the Louvre erupted during a routine internal meeting, as gallery attendants, ticket agents and security personnel refused to take up their posts.

Thousands of angry tourists waited for hours outside the Louvre on Monday morning after the Paris museum's staff staged a surprise strike.

Tourists hoping to visit the Louvre this morning were left frustrated when, without warning, the Paris museum remained shuttered well past its scheduled opening. As one American visitor told AP, the scene was a “Mona Lisa moan,

The Louvre Museum failed to open on time Monday, leaving thousands of visitors stuck in long, unmoving lines outside the iconic Paris institution as staff held a protest over working conditions