  We realize a $\Lambda$ system in a superconducting circuit, with metastable
states exhibiting lifetimes up to 8\,ms. We exponentially suppress the
tunneling matrix elements involved in spontaneous energy relaxation by creating
a "heavy" fluxonium, realized by adding a capacitive shunt to the original
circuit design. The device allows for both cavity-assisted and direct
fluorescent readout, as well as state preparation schemes akin to optical
pumping. Since direct transitions between the metastable states are strongly
suppressed, we utilize Raman transitions for coherent manipulation of the
states.
