Days before Germany invaded Poland, the Louvre Museum in Paris launched a massive secret evacuation of its treasures to keep them out of Nazi hands. The 'Mona Lisa' was the first to leave, transported in a custom-built, climate-controlled ambulance. Throughout the war, the painting was moved five times, hidden in various country châteaus and abbeys in the French countryside to stay ahead of the advancing German lines and avoid Allied bombing raids. Curator Jacques Jaujard led the effort, often ignoring orders from the puppet Vichy government. Due to these heroic efforts, the Mona Lisa and thousands of other masterpieces survived the war without damage.