Ivan Moscovich

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Ivan Moscovich is a designer of games, puzzles, toys and educational aids, and developing them commercially. He is the author of several books and is internationally recognised as one of most innovative inventors in the toy industry.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Ivan Moscovich was born in the former Yugoslavia, to Hungarian parents. His father was an industrial designer. Ivan had a happy childhood until the outbreak of war when Hungary occupied the area of Yugoslavia in which they lived, and his father was killed during the occupation. Later during the war, Ivan was taken to the concentration camps Auschwitz, Bergen Belsen and others, where he was liberated by British troops in 1945. He was sent for recuperation in Sweden before returning home. Finishing his University studies in Mechanical Engineering he immigrated to Israel. Initially he worked as a research scientist, involved in the design and creation of teaching materials, aids and educational games.

[edit] Ivan's Science Museum

His work attracted much general interest which, in 1958, resulted in his proposal for the establishment of a novel science museum, the first of its kind in Israel. He became the founder, creator, and later Director of the Museum of Science and Technology and the [asky Planetarium in Tel Aviv. His science museum first opened in temporary premises in 1964 and attracted world-wide interest and hundreds of thousands of visitors until its closure in the late seventies. The museum was one of the very early forerunners in hands-on science museums, introducing a great number of original hands-on and interactive science exhibits and providing exhibitions in science, art and mathematics to wide audiences. The exhibits were predominantly his original designs and own creation and were enthusiastically received by teachers and educators. Frank Oppenheimer visited the science museum in 1965, and later applied several of Ivan's designs and exhibits in his revolutionary "Exploratorium" in San Francisco which opened in 1969. Oppenheimer's creation became one of the most famous science museums ever.

[edit] Artist

Ivan's kinetic and other art creations were shown at major art exhibitions at the ICA, London; International Design Centrum, Berlin; Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City. His computer art creations and the world patented "Harmonograph" - an analogue computer "art-drawing machine" received many prizes and medals. Alongside his work as an artist, Ivan has been active as an inventor of games, puzzles, toys, educational aids and programmes which have been commercial successes under major manufacturers such as Hasbro, Pressman, Mattel, Peter Pan, Spears, Ravensburger, Childcraft, Invicta and many others. Today his reputation is well-established as an innovative and original inventor in the toy and publishing business.

[edit] Puzzlist and Author

Ivan is also the author of several books on the subject of art, science and mathematics. His Mindbenders series were translated into 12 languages, published by Sterling, and others. Lately, his 1000 PlayThinks published by Workman became a bestseller (which is rare for math and puzzle books). Most recently, Ivan has embarked on the Mastermind Collection of books with Sterling Publishing.

Ivan's homepage can be found at [1]