After the death of his father, Hugo is adopted by his drunkard uncle Claude who maintains the clocks at the Paris train station. But within a few days Claude goes missing.

Hugo ensures that all the clocks continue to work, so that he does not lose his home. Meanwhile, he is also working on fixing an automaton that his father was working on before he died. Hugo believes his father might have left a message for him in the automaton.

Hugo has been getting the parts by stealing mechanical toys from the shop of a certain Mr. Georges Melies. When Hugo is caught, George makes him work at his store to pay for the stolen objects. 

Will Hugo succeed in fixing the automaton? What message has his father left for him?